My Life
by PlayTheGame
Summary: The lives of Triple H and Stephanie McMahon told through the past and the present. Final chapter has been posted.
1. Prologue

Disclaimer - I don't own anybody. They all belong to Mr Vincent Kennedy McMahon

Prologue

The sound of a baby's cries could be heard over the monitor. What had started as soft whimpers had quickly become a series of loud wails. Paul gently removed his arms from around his wife and quickly made his way down the hall and to his daughters bedroom. He chuckled to himself as he saw her little face scrunch up before she squealed like the gravest injustice had befallen her. Quickly, so as not to wake his sleeping wife, he lifted her up and cradled her to his chest. He began to gently bounce her up and down as he walked around the room, trying to soothe her back to sleep.

"Shhhhhh, there there now."

"It's OK. Daddy's here," he cooed gently.

She soon relaxed and cuddled into her fathers embrace. He held her close and watched as her little eyelids slowly closed and her breathing deepened. Sometimes, he couldn't believe that he had helped create something so wonderful. He held her a little longer, making sure she was definitely sleeping before gently kissing her head and laying her back in the cot. He left the room and returned to his own, carefully getting back into the bed. Fortunately, Stephanie was still asleep. He snuggled in behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist and burying his face in her hair. As he lay beside her, he couldn't help but thank his lucky stars for the life he led. A successful job that he loved, which also provided financial security, and the two most important things in his life - his wife and his daughter. Sometimes he had to pinch himself to remember that it was all real. It felt like it was not too long ago when she had waltzed into his life and turned it completely upside down - a good upside down. Getting caught up in his memories, he lay beside her and remembered...


	2. Just Friends

Disclaimer - I don't own anybody. They all belong to Mr Vincent Kennedy McMahon

March 2000

Paul Levesque walked towards his locker-room. Arriving at the arena a little later than expected, well, a lot later than expected, meant he had less time to prepare for tonights show. Reaching his destination, he knocked, and then opened the door. Walking inside he saw that the room was empty and he flung his bag onto the couch, opened it and started to pull out his gear. He lifted his head at the sound of flushing from the bathroom to find Stephanie McMahon standing before him. It was now 4 months into their storyline and he had loved every minute of it. As well as the success of the angle and the fun that came with it, he had also found a new friend in Stephanie. They had a good time together and had great chemistry. It was also great to play the asshole husband and slutty wife with her. She loved it when the fans insulted her because she felt that it meant she was doing her job.

"Hey Steph. You ready for tonight?"

"Yeah, I'm ready but what the hell took you so long, huh? You may hurry and get warmed up, doors open soon."

"I know, I know. There was a big ass accident on the freeway. It's holding up traffic for miles," he replied. Turning his attention back to his bag, he took out his sweats and a tank top and made his way to the bathroom.

"You finished in here?"

"Yeah, go right ahead," she answered.

"And Paul..." she said, coyly looking him up and down, "hurry that cute lil' ass of yours up!" He mock saluted her and flashed her a smile before moving into the bathroom to get changed.

5 minutes later, he walked out of the room carrying his jeans and shirt. Stephanie looked up from the script she was reading and gazed appreciatively at him. His body never ceased to amaze her and she loved to look at it. Catching herself before he could, she lifted her eyes from his chest to his face and watched as he removed his boots, pads and trunks from the bag and put his shirt and jeans in their place.

"So anything interesting happening tonight?" he asked as he turned to face her.

"Well, everythings a bit mad considering it's Wrestlemania next week but I think we have a great show on our hands." She saw the huge smile that appeared on his face and knew the reason for it. He was headlining Wrestlemania. As the WWF Champion. She knew he was excited about it. He worked so hard and it was all finally paying off - he had made the big time. He'd proven that he could hang with the big boys with the brutal Street Fight and Hell in a Cell matches earlier in the year. And now, Wrestlemania was only a week away.

"I still can't believe that I'm in the Main Event at Wrestlemania," he told her, grin still in place. She thought he was so adorable when he was like this. Like a kid at Christmas, waiting to open that big gift that they have wanted for so long. She had to admit to herself that they had grown pretty close over the past 4 months. Working in such close quarters made it pretty much inevitable. She also had to admit that she found him attractive, both physically and personally. To say that the man was good looking was an understatement but he also had a great personality. If he was anybody but who he was she probobly would've asked him out already. But he was a WWF employee and she knew the rules - wrestlers are OFF LIMITS. Not to mention the fact that he was involved with someone at the minute. However, this did nothing to curb her feelings or desires.

"I'm gonna hit the ring before the fans start to pack this place. See you back here in about 30 minutes or so, yeah?

"I'll be waiting for you O dear husband," she joked, well, more like flirted. He was very flirtatious and she saw no reason not to be the same. She blew him a kiss and laughed as he pretended to grab it out of the air. He 'caught' it in his hand and then placed it over his lips.

"You better be," he replied with a wink before walking out the door.


	3. First Kiss

Walking into his hotel room and chucking his bag on the floor, Paul pulled his cell phone out of his pocket before collapsing on the bed. Lifting the phone to his ear, he called to see if anybody had left a voicemail. He listened as the automated voice told him that there were 2 new messages.

_"First Message: Wh__ere the __hell are__ you and why aren't you answering your phone__? You're __gonna__ have to talk to me some time or other__ you know? Please call me. We really need to talk."_

He sighed as he listened to her message. _She really expects me to talk to her after the crap she pulled the other day?_ Running his hand over his face he tried to remember when his love life had become so difficult. Things were a little bit rocky recently but they had always worked through the tough times before. Now he felt as though he just didn't have the will power to work through anything. He felt as though life with Joanie was becoming a chore and a tough one at that.

_"Second Message: Hi Paul, __it__'__s__ Stephanie. I know__ you only left me like 40 minutes ago but my dad left me the script__s__ for tomorrow and I just felt that, knowing the way you are and everything, that y__ou would __wanna__ take a look at them__. Even at __12.30 in the morning! So, if you want to have your copy just call up to my room, I'm in 1027, and collect it ok? And if not then I'll see you tomorrow. Bye!"_

A smile formed on his face as he listened to the second message. She made him smile a lot lately. Over the past year they had grown very close and Paul couldn't deny the fact that he harboured some sort of feelings for her. Sliding off the bed, he checked that his room key card was still inside his back pocket before making his way up to her room. _Why is it that I had to fight with myself __on __whether or not to call Joanie but that I'm now on my way to Steph's room without a second thought? Maybe it's because I know she won't give me any __crap_ He laughed to himself before arriving at her door and knocking gently. A few seconds later and the door swopped open. His breath caught in his throat as he took her in. Her hair was down and flowing about her shoulders and she was wearing a pair of pink and grey flannel pyjama bottoms along with his 'That Damn Good' baby tee for women. _God my shirt has never looked so good!_ She seemed to have wiped off most of her make-up and her natural beauty shone through. _She takes my breath awa__y._

"So, do you usually wear my shirts when you go to bed? Can't get enough of me can you?"

"Ha-ha, very funny. Come on in funny guy." She opened the door further and let him inside.

"So what does daddy dearest have in store for us tomorrow then?" he asked while taking in his surroundings. Her room wasn't a room at all! It was a suite equipped with its own living area, mini-bar and kitchen. Hell it even had a balcony to boot.

"Damn, you McMahons sure do travel in style!"

"Why thank you! You know, I'd hate to think that my poor husband is slummin it in some rat infested basement downstairs!"

"And what if I said that I am slummin it in some rat infested basement downstairs? Would you let me come up here and stay with you?" He smiled at her as he sat down on the couch and she held his gaze for a moment before looking away. She walked into her bedroom and returned a few seconds later with the scripts in hand before sitting next to him on the couch. She felt his gaze upon her and raised her head to find him staring at her again. His wonderful hazel eyes were soft and a small smile played on his lips. Her heart skipped a beat and she knew that she had fallen for him. No other man had ever made her feel this way with just a simple smile. Every time they were in close proximity these days her heart beat just a little faster and she stood just that little bit closer. She knew that things weren't going so well with Joanie and every time she tried to get him to open up he quickly changed the subject. Not wanting to be 'the other woman,' she put her feelings on hold but something told her that she wouldn't be able to keep that up for very much longer. Especially if they were to meet again like this - in a room and on their own with no one else around. She wouldn't be held responsible for her actions next time. She cleared her throat and reeled in her wondering mind before answering his question.

"You know you're welcome here anytime Paul. All you have to do is ask." Her breath hitched as he moved closer and covered her hand with his.

"That means a lot to me Steph. Especially with all the crap that's going on with Joan right now. It means a lot to know that you care." He looked into her eyes and squeezed her hand but did not let go.

"I do care Paul. I care about you a lot," she blanched as she realised what she said and tried to recover, "I didn't mean to say that. I just...I just..."

"It's OK Steph. I care about you a lot too," he all but whispered as he moved his head closer to hers. He raised his hand to her cheek and gently brought his lips down on hers. She tilted her head and opened her mouth, allowing his tongue to enter. They kissed slowly and let the intimacy of the moment wash over them. There were no screaming fans or cameras around now. Just the two of them sharing a special moment that was long overdue.

Back to Reality

"Look who's here to see you?"

He heard her sweet voice and gentle babbling coming from the side of the bed. Rolling from his side onto his back so that he now lay facing her, he watched as she held Aurora up by her chubby little arms and bounced her over and onto his bare chest. At the sound of his daughter's laughter he felt his heart swell with love and quickly reached his arms out to hold her. Stephanie let go and lay down next to them.

"Hey there little lady. Did you come to see daddy?" They both laughed as she reached out and patted his face, her little fingers pulling on his bottom lip.

"I'll take that as a yes then," he turned to Stephanie before asking, "How long you been up for?"

"Not too long. I woke first and heard her babbling away to herself, so I decided to go and see what all the fuss was about," she reached up and pinched her daughters little rosy cheek, "and I found her lying there, blanket at her ankles and all her toys on the floor! Didn't have a care in the world though. She just sat there babbling!"

"You were up making a mess then. At least it's not as bad as last time when you managed to throw every single thing in your crib out of it and onto the floor!" He turned to Stephanie and smiled. "I don't think she likes her blanket! I mean, most kids usually never let go of the damn thing but not ours. She prefers it at her feet or on the floor."

"Well maybe she just takes after her daddy, I mean, look at where your blankets are." She motioned to the bed where most of the sheets were at the foot of the bed and only one remained, loosely covering his waist.

"That wouldn't be such a bad thing would it? You taking after your old man huh?" He directed his speech at Aurora who still sat on his chest, happy as Larry, watching her parents talk. Realising that her father was now looking at her and recognizing his voice, she squealed happily and flailed her arms in the air.

"See, she doesn't mind one bit." He leaned up, kissed her forehead and lay back down again. Hearing a cough, he turned to his wife, a questioning look on her face.

"Don't I get one of those?" she asked him and shuffled a little closer.

"Do you want one?"

"Always," she whispered, before capturing his lips in a sweet morning kiss. They pulled apart but kept their faces close.

"I love you," he whispered before giving her another peck on the lips and then turned his attention back to his daughter, "and I love you too." Being on the road so often, he cherished these times when it was just him, Steph and Aurora. At home and enjoying family life. He couldn't wait to spend the next few days in their own house. Raw was back on the east coast and therefore gave them the opportunity to relax and spend time at home and he was determined to make the most of it...


	4. First Date

Back to Reality

Stephanie glanced nervously at the scenery outside her window. The trees zoomed by as the car sped along the little dingy road. He always took this shortcut and it scared her half to death. It was practically a one lane and very narrow road with lots of bumps and hills. Add that to the fact that he liked to drive fast and it made her edgy. Why he chose to take it every time they were visiting his parents was beyond her. Probably because it took almost 2 hours off their trip and they weren't staying the night so it did make sense. Nonetheless, she didn't like it and felt compelled to tell him.

"Paul," she called curtly. He knew that tone and it was usually saved for when he had done something wrong or was in trouble. He turned his head slowly and answered her with a very apprehensive, "Yes?"

"Would you slow down please? This stupid little road always makes me nervous." She heard him chuckle and gave him a scowl. "It's not funny and you do this every time!"

"Awww I'm sorry babe. Is the little windy road scaring you?" He asked with a cheeky grin on his face. His grin turned into a wide smile when he felt her light smack on his arm.

"Very funny Paul."

"Look Aurora, mommy is hitting daddy. That's not very nice now is it?" He glanced in the rear-view mirror to find his daughter slumped over in her little car-seat, fast asleep. He looked back at Stephanie and saw that she had a huge grin of her own. "Ha-ha, she doesn't care!"

"Mean. That's what you are. Mean." He kept his gaze on the road for a few seconds and then turned back to her and smiled. He reached across and took her hand whilst bringing the car to a slower speed. She intertwined their fingers and rested them on her lap.

"Thanks babe."

* * *

_"Steph, about last night..."_

_"We don't have to do this now you know." She had wanted to discuss what had happened between them in her hotel room last night all day but in their locker room was not the place to do it. The look on his face told her that he thought otherwise._

_"Yes, we do. Listen, you need to know that I wanted it to happen and that it didn't just come out of the blue. As a matter of fact, I've been wanting to do it for a while now and last night, I guess I just couldn't stop myself. You looked so beautiful and..."_

_"Paul..." she whispered as she moved beside him on the couch and took his hand in both of hers, "I wanted it to happen too."_

_"You didn't let me finish," he half smiled and squeezed her hand before continuing," I'm not going to deny that there's something happening between us. I can't. I always knew that I felt something for you. I just didn't know if they were friendly feelings or...or something else. But lately I just haven't been able to get you out of my mind and when I kissed you last night, everything just seemed to fall into place. When I left your room I spent the rest of the night thinking about you and finally came to a conclusion."_

_He took a deep breath, looked into her eyes and asked, "Steph, can I take you on a date?" Her amused chuckle filled the silent room and he became worried._

_"What's so funny?"_

_"That's your conclusion? God Paul, of course I'll go on a date with you." She felt absolutely giddy inside. Giddy because he said that he felt something for her and that they were going on a date. Also because he looked so nervous right now which in turn, made him look terribly cute. _

_A huge smile covered his face and he raised his hand to caress her cheek. He couldn't believe that she said yes! Maybe he was stupid for jumping into another relationship so quickly after Joanie, especially with Stephanie McMahon of all people. If the boys in the back or even the great 'Vinnie Mac' himself found out he'd be taking a page from the Undertakers book by becoming a real 'dead man'. But he couldn't let this opportunity pass him by. Not when he felt the way he felt and especially not when she smiled at him like she was now. Every time she smiled at him he felt a pang in his chest._ Jesus Paul, you're turning into a lovesick puppy here. Or maybe you're falling hard and fast. Too fast for your own good if you ask me. What do I mean if I ask me, I AM ME! What the hell, I'm starting to have conversations with myself now! I'm a wreck and we haven't even had our first date yet. Jeez! _He stopped the stupid conversation going on in his head and smiled at Stephanie. She had an apprehensive look on her face to say the least and looked at him sceptically._

_"Everything ok?" she asked out of concern when she saw a funny look on his face and his head gently move from side to side as if he were talking as two different people._

_"Yeah, everything's great." He flashed her a smile and squeezed her hand again, just to assure her that he was fine and that he wasn't in fact, an insane person who had conversations with himself._

_"Are we going out tonight then?"_

_"You could say that. I'll give you the particulars later. All you need to know is that I'll meet you at your hotel room and we'll go from there ok?" He already thought of what to do for tonight. If they were seen together in a cosy restaurant somewhere in the city it would spell serious trouble. So he figured he would bring the party to them so to speak. He was going to order some food from her favourite restaurant in Chicago. She had told him one time that whenever they had a show here, she always tried to eat at her favourite Chinese restaurant "The Golden Moon". All he had to do was get the food and pick up a rental of some chick flick she was talking about the other day, he had the name of it written down somewhere and prayed that it was at least watchable, and then head to her room._

Back to Reality

"I don't even remember what the movie was. All I remember was you and how beautiful you were." He smiled at her while he sipped his glass of water. His parents had offered to look after Aurora so that they could go to lunch. He thought it was silly seeing as they drove all the way up here to see them but they wouldn't take no for an answer. Besides, it had been a while since just he and Stephanie were able to go out for a meal together, even if it was only a short lunch. They had chosen a quiet little cafe and a booth in the corner in order to hide from any looming fans. Somehow the topic of conversation had landed on their first date.

"Pretty Woman. We watched Pretty Woman. Although I must say that you served as a pretty good distraction yourself." She reached her hand across the table and placed it over his, gently twisting his wedding band around his finger.

They gazed at one another for a few moments, both enraptured by the look in the other's eyes. A look that told them everything they ever needed to know. Absolutely taken by the look on his wife's face and feeling an insurmountable need to be close to her, he turned and motioned for the cheque before returning his gaze to her. They sat in silence as the waiter approached and handed Paul the cheque. He pulled out his wallet, left a fifty on the table, grabbed Stephanie's hand and practically dragged her out the door.

They walked a short distance down the street before he turned and led her down a narrow, slanted alley. He quickly glanced up and down the alley and secure in the knowledge that they could not be seen, he pressed her up against the wall and crushed her lips with his. She immediately wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him closer, opening her mouth and deepening their embrace. His hands ran along her thighs and under her skirt, roaming higher and higher until her was gently caressing her behind. She moaned into his mouth before cupping his face and gently pushing his lips from hers.

"Babe, we can't do this here." He leaned his forehead against hers and brought his hands to her face.

"I know. I just wanted to do that, and in the middle of the street isn't the place to be feeling you up!" He kissed her again and took her hand, pulling her towards the entrance to the street.

"Let's go get our little munchkin, head home and then we can finish what we started a couple of minutes ago."

"Sure. And I'll even let you drive fast if it means we'll get home quicker," she replied cheekily as she bumped his shoulder. Even though she always enjoyed visiting her in-laws, she was anxious to get home and spend some quality and intimate time with her husband.


	5. Together

_"So I'll see you at the arena then?" he asked as he nuzzled her neck and tightened his arms around her waist. He really didn't want to leave but for appearances sake they decided to arrive at the arena separately. Their budding relationship was not common knowledge and they desperately wanted to keep it that way. The locker rooms of the WWF were worse than a dirt rag when it came to gossip and if any of the wrestlers, or even worse her dad, ever found out they were seeing each other it would spell serious trouble._

_"I can't hear you with your face in my neck like that," she chuckled then raised his head so they were facing one another. She gazed into his wonderful brown eyes and smiled at him. She couldn't believe they were actually together. Although they hadn't been together in the fullest sense of the word, she sensed that it wasn't far off. Before, she was satisfied with a heavy make-out session and some heavy petting and she sensed that he was too. They wanted to take things slow. The magnitude of their situation was not lost on either of them and they both knew that if something were to go wrong it would come at a high price. But lately all she could think about was him. His lips. Kissing and caressing her. His hands. Roaming all over her body. Even when they went to the ring to cut a promo or were shooting a backstage segment she was hard pressed to keep her hands off him and vice versa. It was quickly getting to the stage where they couldn't keep their hands off one another but she didn't mind it one bit. In fact she liked it very much and felt that they were ready to take their relationship to the next level._

_"Steph?" His words brought her back to reality._

_"Sorry. I was just thinking."_

_"About?"_

_"About us. About you and how you make me feel when you touch me, and about how I'd like to feel you touch the rest of me." She stared right into his eyes as she spoke. One thing she loved about him was the fact that she could be completely and totally honest with him and to be able to admit that she wanted to move things forward right to his face, in her mind, spoke volumes about the type of relationship that they had. She watched as his face broke into a huge grin._

_"Are you flirting with me McMahon?" He asked her gently. He was absolutely thrilled that she decided to broach this topic with him. He felt that over the last few weeks they had definitely gotten a hell of a lot closer, both physically and emotionally and was more than ready to take it to the next level. Yet he wanted to leave that decision to her so as not to pressure her and force her into something she wasn't ready for._

_"Why is it working?"_

_"It most definitely is," he whispered as he moved his face towards her. Their lips met in a gentle kiss that quickly became heated. Her hands were flat against his chest as she moved him in front of the love seat in her hotel room before pushing him into it and straddling his lap. His arms wrapped around her waist and he began to rub light, feathery strokes up and down her back. One hand cupped his face while the other ran along his chest. She moaned as his lips moved to her neck and he began to nip and suck at her sensitive spot there. Needing to feel him once again, she grabbed his face and kissed him hard. There was nothing gentle in it at all as their tongues dueled with one another. Suddenly she felt a gentle vibration against her hip. Almost immediately she felt the same thing against her knee. Groaning with frustration, they pulled apart and reached for their respective pagers._

_"Meeting moved forward. Arena. 30 minutes," she read aloud. "Damn. What does yours say?"_

_"The same. Must be important if we're all getting the page at the same time." He saw her frown and gently cupped her chin, bringing her eyes level with his, "Hey, don't worry about it. We can always finish this later." He kissed her softly before pulling away. She stood and pulled him up after her._

_"I guess I should go if we're supposed to be arriving separately." They walked towards the door hand in hand._

_"I'll catch up with you at the meeting then ok?" He nodded and leaned towards her for a final kiss before turning and leaving the room. Stephanie gazed at the door for a few seconds before snapping back to reality and preparing for the meeting._

* * *

Back to reality

The ringing of the telephone echoed across the empty kitchen and traveled out onto the patio garden. Paul was the first to react and he quickly hopped up from his chair, jogging lightly the short distance to the kitchen where he snapped up the phone and answered.

"Hello?"

"Hi Paul. This is Amanda calling here."

"Oh hey Amanda. How's things?"

"Everything's great on my end, how about you guys? How is that adorable little daughter of yours?"

"She's doing great. In fact she's out on the patio right now making a mess with her building blocks. She's more fond of chucking them at things, especially me, than she is of actually building with them." He heard a chuckle down the line as he walked back out to the patio and sat down next to Aurora and Stephanie on the deck. At his wife's questioning gaze, he mouthed he word "Amanda" before reaching down and lifting a bright blue colored block into his hand.

"Stephanie was saying that she's now into the stage where she's throwing everything around."

"I'm sure she had no problem telling you that. What you don't know is that I'm the one who has to do all the picking up afterwards." He winced when he felt her hand thump his knee and couldn't stop the chuckle that escaped down the line. "Listen I'm getting told off here so I'll just hand you over to Steph before my knee turns numb. Nice talking to you again," he handed the phone to Stephanie who stood and headed towards the patio table.

Turning his attention back to his daughter, he lifted another blue block into his hand and started to build a tower. "Look Aurora, Daddy's building a tower." He smiled when her little blue eyes, eyes so much like his wife's, widened at the semi built tower in front of her. She squealed her delight as the tower grew in height and she began to slap the ground in excitement.

"Dad-ee make tar. Dad-ee make tar," her hands clapped together as she looked at Paul in amazement, then at the blue blocks in front of her, then back at her father.

"Yes, Daddy make tower," he smiled at her affectionately while he continued to add to his growing masterpiece on the floor before him.

Meanwhile Stephanie was catching up with one of her closest friends on the phone, gazing and smiling at the cute little noises her daughter was making while she watched her father construct the blue block tower for her.

"So how have you been Ames, you know, since the last time I spoke to you which was, hmmmmmm, let me see, 3 whole days ago!"

"Funny Steph. Actually I was calling to see if you wanted to meet up tonight. You told me when I called you those 3 whole days ago, that you were at home for the week. So, I figured that because you're such a workaholic, that you need a night out. What d'ya say?"

"I say, let me ask my husband if he had any plans for tonight before I let you rope me into this."

"Come on, Steph. You know you want to. In fact, why don't you bring Paul along. I'm sure he'd like to get out for a while too. You both work too damn hard."

"Alright. I'll talk to Paul and get back to you ok?"

"You better or I'm coming up there to..."

"I'm hanging up now. Speak to you soon, bye."

Stephanie put the phone down and shook her head. It would be nice to get out for a night. The last time she had really gone out with her friends was her hen night and that was so long ago. Suddenly she heard a delighted squeal and a loud crashing noise. Quickly glancing over at her husband and daughter, she saw the blue blocks scattered over the ground and Aurora, sitting happily in her father's lap, laughing away at the mess she had made. She walked over and joined them on the ground, being careful not to sit on any of the blocks. Aurora noticed that her mother had returned and reached her arms out to her.

"Mom-ee back. Hi mom-ee."

"Hi baby. Did you have fun playing with the blocks, huh?" she reached over and lifted her, placing her onto her lap and kissing the soft brown hair on her head.

"I bwake the tar mom-ee, I bwake the tar."

"I see that sweetie. You undid all of your daddy's hard work didn't you?" she lifted her head and smiled at Paul while stroking Aurora's head.

"Ames invited us out for a night on the town. Do you want to go? I mean we haven't been out, especially together, in ages," she looked at him expectantly while starting to bounce her daughter on her knee.

"Whatever you want babe. I really don't mind. Sonia is here to look after the little missus so we can go if you want."

"I think it'd do us some good to get away for a night don't you. I'll call her back and tell her we're coming," she handed Aurora back to him, then stood and headed for the table. Before reaching it, she turned and said, "And just so you know, I'm in the mood for some serious dancing tonight so you'd better wear the right shoes!" Swinging her hips as she walked, she made her way to the table and called her friend to make the arrangements for later that night.

* * *

_Paul took a quick glance up and down the corridor before following Stephanie into the McMahon-Helmsley locker room. As soon as the door was closed and locked, he pulled her into his arms, turning them around so that her back was pressed against the door before kissing her passionately. Her arms wrapped around his neck, pulling him closer while their tongues danced. She had to stop flirting with him like that when they were in the ring. They were on live TV for God's sake! And he was no better either, always egging her on and playing her games. Tonight, as Mick (Foley), Rock, Kurt and Benoit had been talking in the ring and their bit was over, they stood in the corner, arms wrapped around one another, like a husband and wife should, whispering sweet nothings to one another, like a husband and wife should, and of course sharing a few kisses here and there, again like a husband and wife should. And now that they were back in their locker-room, both were very ready to ravage the other and that's exactly what was happening. Stephanie lifted her leg and hooked it around his thigh, running her hands down his behind and squeezing gently. She felt his hands roaming around her waist and hips and she sighed gently, pulling on his bottom lip with her teeth. He opened his eyes and she saw nothing but naked lust. He wanted her. She could feel just how badly he wanted her as it was currently pressed against her abdomen. His hand ran up the leg that was wrapped around his own, from the knee until he reached her behind, his hand leaving a scorching trail in it's wake. He pulled his lip from between her teeth and looked into her eyes intently. Slowly moving his head towards her, his lips gently grazed hers as he paused, just for a moment before claiming her mouth as his own. After a while, gasping for breath and ready to just have her way with him right there in the locker-room, she managed to put her finger to his lips, stopping them from meeting hers._

_"Lets go back to the hotel," she whispered softly, grasping his hand. He simply nodded and collected their bags. They both exited the room and made for the parking lot. Their live segment was over and their pre-taped scenes were already shot. That left them with nothing to worry about as they climbed into Paul's rental and made their way to the hotel, hearts full and bodies craving, ready to take that final step that would bring them closer than ever before._


	6. No Longer Apart

Back to Reality

Stephanie sat down on the couch and settled Aurora on her lap. She turned her so that she could see her pretty little face and couldn't resist from pinching her chubby cheek. She knew that all parents thought that their children were the cutest but she definitely believed that she had the cutest kid in the world. Her little round face was just so fresh and vibrant and she had the most wonderful eyes. Just like her father. She also had the cutest little button nose which thankfully, was nothing like her father's! Her light brown hair was so soft and was growing longer everyday. Just like the rest of her. She could remember when she had first been born. She was so tiny and small. Now she was growing bigger all the time and was getting heavier too. She watched with amusement as her daughter grabbed her left hand, holding it up as high as she could manage and placed it on her own head before taking it down and setting it in her lap. She laughed as her little eyes grew wide. Something had definitely caught her attention. Looking on with curiosity, she watched as Aurora poked at her wedding rings, especially the huge rock on her engagement ring. Aurora squealed excitedly and tried to pull it off her mother's finger.

"No sweetie. You can't take that one off. That's mummy's engagement ring and it's very special," she chuckled at the frown and pouted lip that appeared on her face. She looked exactly like Paul when he didn't get his way. "Awwwww don't get all sad on me. You know I don't like to see you upset."

"Did you upset my baby girl?" Both mother and daughter turned at the sound of his voice and Aurora's frown turned into a smile at the sight of her father. He joined them on the couch and gently patted her head. "So what has my little lady all upset?"

"Oh nothing. She wanted to play with my engagement ring and I told her that she couldn't. Anyway, are you ready to go?"

"Out of all the toys in this place and you wanna' play with an expensive ring. Our little girl's got taste Steph," he leaned back into the soft cushions of the couch and let out a sigh.

"Don't be getting comfortable. We're going...like, right now," she laughed at the groan from her husband as he stood and headed towards the coat closet. He hated shopping. Especially shopping for presents and especially shopping for presents for women, but it was his mother's birthday in two weeks and if they didn't go now they'd never get the chance to go later. She followed him to the closet where he was talking to Sonia. She was their live-in nanny and maid and was practically like a third grandmother to Aurora. She lived with them on the road and was an invaluable part of their lives.

"We're ready to go now Sonia. We shouldn't be long but with Mr. Grumpy over here we might be," she laughed at her husband's childish sigh whilst handing her daughter to Sonia.

"But I hate shopping Steph. Why can't I stay and you and Sonia can go? I know how much you both like to shop." He had a sour face as he pulled on his coat, knowing his attempts to get out of shopping were futile.

"Because she's _your_ mother young man. Now go on and don't keep your wife waiting," butted in Sonia, shooing him towards the door with her free hand.

"Do I at least get to say goodbye to my daughter. I mean, the condemned man always gets his last wish." He leaned over and kissed his daughter's soft hair.

"It's last meal. Now go." Again she shooed him towards the door and with no other choice, Paul reluctantly walked over to lift the keys out of the small pot on the table. He watched as Stephanie kissed their child goodbye and they headed towards the car.

* * *

_The dark room was silent when she entered. Throwing her coat over the back of a chair and dropping her bag beside it, she made her way to the couch and flopped herself down, spreading her body out over the soft cushions. She reached for the remote to the TV and turned it on. As she started to channel surf, her mind drifted back to the events of the day. She had another romantic scene with Paul and it was absolute torture being that close to him when she'd never get to be that way with him ever again. It had been almost two months now since her father had told them they could no longer be together. Apparently it wasn't good for business. It wasn't good for her heart either. She'd been absolutely heart broken when he told them. People were starting to ask questions and that wasn't good for business either. She wished for once her dad would screw business and let her be with the man she was in love with. She sat there and flicked through the channels, not really paying attention until she heard that oh so familiar guitar chord before "Time to play the game" blared out through the speakers of the television, quickly followed by the sound of breaking glass and the voice over. She snapped her head up to look at the TV and saw the advertisement for the WWF's most recent PPV, No Way Out, headlined by Triple H and Stone Cold in a 2 out of 3 Falls Match. She looked on as the ad ran through their storied rivalry and felt her heart swell. She couldn't do this. She couldn't go on feeling like her heart had been ripped out of her chest and repeatedly stomped on. Everywhere she looked she saw him. Now he was even popping up on her TV when she least expected it. Taking the ad as a sign, she felt the adrenaline pump through her veins as she reached for her cell phone. Scrolling through the names in her address book, her heart leapt at the sight of his name. Paul. With a steely determination that surprised herself, she pressed the call button and anxiously waited. Suddenly remembering how late it was, she glanced at the clock on the mantle. Damn, 12:30. After too many rings and no answer, she was just about to give up when she heard his gravelly voice._

_"Hello," he answered groggily, rolling over in the bed._

_"Paul. It's me."_

_Upon hearing her voice, he immediately sat up and switched on the bedside lamp. "Steph? What's wrong? Is everything OK?"_

_She smiled at the concern in his voice. "I'm fine. Everything's fine." There was a considerable silence until Stephanie could hold it in no longer. "No it's not fine. Paul...I just...I can't go on like this."_

_"Like what Steph?" He asked her but he felt he already knew the answer for it was the exact same way he felt._

_"I can't go on living my life without you, Paul. These last two months have been hell and I...I..."she couldn't stop the sob that escaped her._

_His heart broke at the sound of her cries. Quickly sitting up and throwing the covers off his body, he reached for the track pants he'd strewn across the floor earlier. "Steph, what room number are you in? I'm coming over." He pulled the track pants on and looked around for a t-shirt._

_"Paul, you can't come over. What if someone sees you?" She said in a half-hearted attempt to stop him but her heart skipped a beat at the thought of seeing him and quite frankly she could care less if anybody else did. She needed him. She needed him too badly right now._

_"I don't care if anybody sees me Steph. I'm coming over. Where are you?" He found a white t-shirt draped over a chair and quickly pulled it on._

_Her heart was hammering in her chest as she told him her room number. She couldn't believe that he was actually coming over. They hadn't really been alone together in so long and although they didn't like her father's decision, they both decided to respect it. As he'd told her that last night they'd spent together, if it was meant to be then it's meant to be. Within a matter of minutes, she heard knocking on her door and quickly ran to answer it. She opened the door and her heart flipped at the sight of him. He pulled her into his arms, kicking the door closed with his foot, his hand gently stroking her head. She melted into him, wrapping her arms around his waist and pulling his body closer to hers. He gently pulled away, his hands framing her face as he stared into her eyes._

_"I missed you," he whispered softly before he pulled her into his arms again. She sighed when she felt his lips on her bare shoulder. His beard tickled her skin as he moved his lips to her neck, then trailed them up to her ear where he gently kissed the sensitive skin behind it._

_"I missed you so much," he whispered again, bringing his face level with hers. She gazed into his eyes and brought her hand up to caress his stubbly jaw._

_"I missed you too." She smiled gently, moving her face closer to his and closing her eyes. Their lips touched ever so softly before she pulled his face towards her, kissing him with a little more force. He responded enthusiastically, pulling her body flush against his and opened his mouth to her, allowing their tongues to tangle in their first non-screen kiss in a long time. He heard her moan. Felt her arms wrap around his neck and her hips press against his. They shouldn't be doing this. This would only cause trouble in the long run. But right now he just didn't care. Her body felt too good against his, something he hadn't experienced in too long. He wanted and needed her too badly to care about anything else and he sensed she needed him too by the way her body was responding to him. He brought his hands lower on her waist and cupped her behind, lifting her up and making his way towards the bedroom. She wrapped her legs around his waist and kissed him hard, thrusting her tongue out to play with his. Her heart was thumping loudly in her chest. She was absolutely consumed by her need for him. She moaned into his mouth, feeling his hands gently massage her behind._

_He reached the bed and gently lay her down before pulling his shirt over his head. He lay on the bed beside her and pulled her close. They kissed again and both of them knew that they wouldn't be stopping any time soon. This was it. They had tried to be apart but they just couldn't do it. Their need was too powerful and their love too deep to just walk away now. It was becoming more apparent that they were more than meant to be._

* * *

Back to Reality

Stephanie laughed as she felt his hand tug her away from the older women's sleepwear section and straight towards the lingerie section.

"Paul, I don't know about you but I don't think this kind of gift is appropriate to buy for your mother!"

"I didn't exactly have mother dearest in mind when I saw this rather sexy lingerie over here." He lifted up a racy red corset with matching panties while at the same time raising his eyebrow suggestively.

She smiled at him, looking over the silky nightwear in his hand. Her husband always did have pretty good taste when it came to her sleepwear. Every year for his birthday, he bought her some form of sexy lingerie as a gift to himself! Glancing at his smiling face, she couldn't help but give in to him. Besides, she would definitely reap the rewards when she decided to wear it. Taking the item from him, she cheekily held it up to her body, as if to see if it would fit or not.

"You like it?" She laughed when his face broke into the cutest smile. He was like a kid in a candy store right now. Spotting a beautiful black ensemble not far from where they stood, she decided to have a little fun. "I don't know. I mean, I've got enough red already, don't you think? How about something like this?" She led him over to the area near the counter and lifted the black set she had spotted before. It was made from lace and left very little to the imagination. His eyes darkened at the thought of her in it and he nodded his head enthusiastically.

"Definitely. You have to get this. I refuse to leave the store otherwise."

"Is that right?" She asked as she took a step closer to him.

"Yes it most definitely is." He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her closer, leaning down to her ear and whispering, "I'll make it worth your while whenever you decide to wear it. You know how my nether regions react to you in black lace." He pulled his head back from her ear but kept close.

"Yes I do," she laughed, "they cause you to lose control and rip it off of me so that I can't wear it anymore," she replied, remembering the last time she had wore a black lace set for him. Poor thing didn't last 5 minutes before it was practically ripped off her body and torn into large pieces! "And based on that fact, I'd say it's definitely a keeper."

"You know babe, suddenly this shopping trip has became much more meaningful to me," he grinned at her as they made their way to the pay point. "And to show you just how much it means to me, I'll even pay for it!" He removed his wallet from his pocket and smiled at the young sales assistant behind the counter. Stephanie watched on with amusement as the young woman, she must have been in her very early twenties, blushed and shyly smiled back at him. Paul was a charmer that was for sure and this poor girl didn't stand a chance.

"That'll be 65 sir." The young sales assistant blushed again as he pulled out a thick wad of notes, plucking out a 100 bill and handing it to her, not without smiling again of course. Stephanie had to hold back her laughter as Paul looked at her and rolled his eyes in a dreamy fashion, even letting out a soft sigh for good measure. He knew fine rightly the poor girl was obviously taken with him and he openly flaunted it to get a reaction from her. As the girl looked around for a bag, Paul leaned down to her and whispered," I think she likes me babe. Are you jealous?"

Stephanie laughed out loud this time. God, he was incorrigible sometimes but she wouldn't have him any other way. "I'm green with envy. Whatever shall I do," she teased. He went to reply but was interrupted by the girl handing him the bag and his change.

Reading her name from the tag attached to her lapel, he thanked her, took Stephanie's hand in his own and led them back towards the glass crystal ornament they had found earlier. It was too heavy to carry so they had decided to look around before coming back to buy it for Paul's mother. Stephanie noticed that he was walking a little faster than usual and asked him why.

"Because the sooner we get home, the sooner you can try out your new black lace on me. And I for one cannot wait to see the effect it has this time. So, let's just get this gift and then we can go home and move on to more exciting activities."

"For once tonight, I actually agree with you. Let's get this done and get down to business." She laughed as he practically dragged her down the aisle.


	7. Permission

"That wasn't so bad now, was it?" asked Stephanie as she rocked a sleeping Aurora in her arms.

"Apart from Mom breaking down over her gift, everything was fine," answered Paul. It was his mother's birthday and they had surprised her by flying up to New Hampshire and hand delivering her gift. They were back on the road again and just decided to fly out to RAW from there anyway.

"She's really out of it, huh?" he asked, leaning over to get a closer look at his daughter who was tightly bundled up in her mother's arms. He lifted his hand and with his finger, gently stroked her soft cheek before kissing her head. He turned his attention back to Stephanie who was smiling at him. He smiled back and moved his face closer to hers, giving her a lingering kiss before he stood.

"You want a coffee or something? I'm going to get a drink."

"No babe, it's too late for coffee. Just get me some water instead. Thanks." She watched him walk away with a tired smile on her face. Suddenly, she got the feeling that someone was watching her. Turning to her left, she saw an older woman of around fifty years old, smiling down at Aurora. Stephanie smiled at her when she looked up.

"She's just adorable. Absolutely adorable! I'm Jane by the way," said the woman, extending her hand.

"Stephanie. And this sleeping little girl is Aurora Rose," Stephanie said as she shifted in her seat so that she could face the woman, trying not to wake her daughter in the process and reached over to take her offered hand.

"Aurora Rose. That's a name you don't hear every day."

"Sleeping Beauty was my favourite Disney fairytale." Stephanie's cheeks flushed slightly at her embarrassment.

"Oh honey, don't you worry. I wanted to call my son Jefferson, after Thomas Jefferson. I'm a big history nut you see. But my husband said absolutely not so I had to settle for Jeff."

Stephanie chuckled at the story. She guessed Jane was from Texas or somewhere in the South due to her feminine Southern drawl and friendly nature. _That's Southern Hospitality for you!_ "So are you heading back home or..." she trailed off as Jane answered her back.

"Yes. We were visiting my in-laws and now we're heading back home. The "we" being my husband and kids but I don't know where they're at right now. What about yourself?"

"I was visiting my in-laws too actually. It was my mother-in-law's birthday and we decided to surprise her by flying up. We live in Connecticut so it's not that far."

"And now you're off to Texas! You have this little one well travelled and she doesn't even know it."

"Well both our jobs require..." Stephanie started to say but was cut off by the reappearance of her husband.

"Hey. I got your water," Paul said as he glanced curiously at the woman seated next to his wife.

"Thanks babe. Paul, this is Jane. Jane, this is my husband..."

"TRIPLE H!" Interrupted Jane suddenly. "Oh my God! I'm so sorry! I can't believe I just did that. It's just that my husband and both my sons are big fans. You're my youngest's favourite wrestler. He has your posters all over his walls and when I saw you there I just kinda' realised who you are. Sorry." She looked amazed as she took him in. It wasn't unusual for him. He was 6'4 and 255lbs after all.

* * *

Paul just laughed at her little outburst. He got that sometimes but usually from fans, not their mothers! He extended his hand to her as he sat down. "Nice to meet you Jane. And it's Paul. I don't usually go by _Triple H_ when I'm off the clock!" he joked.

"My boys won't believe I'm actually talking to you. Especially Jeff. You're his absolute favourite. I just wish they would hurry back. They went to get burgers only ten minutes ago." Jane glanced around the waiting area that they were currently sitting in, trying to find her family.

Paul thought for a moment before he answered. "Tell you what. When they come back, I'll sign some autographs if you want?"

"That would be just wonderful! Oh thank you Triple H! They're going to be so surprised. I can't wait." She replied excitedly.

Stephanie and Paul looked at each other and chuckled at Jane's excitement. The WWE was all about their fans after all and as long as Aurora didn't wake up, they'd be free until it came time to board the plane.

_Paul stood outside the office door, nervously wringing his hands and shuffling his feet. Today was the day. Now was the time. He lifted his hand and wrapped the door. He heard the muffled "Come in," from inside and placed his hand on the door knob. __No turning back now.__ Taking a deep breath he opened the door and entered the room._

"_Paul, what can I do for you?" asked Vince McMahon. He was seated behind his desk, shirt sleeves rolled up and glasses resting on the end of his nose as he looked up from the papers he held in his hand. All in all, he looked quite busy but happy for the distraction._

"_Well I was wondering if I could...ahhh...talk to you...about...something," Paul managed to stutter out. __**Great start Paul, he probably thinks you're high on something right now**__**.**_

"_What's on your mind?" Noticing how unsure of himself Paul looked right now, Vince had a suspicion that something was up, he just didn't know what. He motioned for Paul to sit on one of the expensive, leather executive chairs in front of the desk._

"_No I'm fine. I think I'd prefer to stand for this."_

"_For what? Paul is everything OK. You're not looking too good right now?" Vince stood also and walked around the desk so that the two men were facing one another._

_**Do it now. Don't chicken out. Don't chicken out!!**_

"_I have something to ask you but before I do it I need to tell you a few things." The words stumbled out of his mouth and he wondered whether he was actually making any sense._

_Vince had never seen Paul act this weird and unsure before. __**Something definitely must be bothering him.**__He was normally so calm and easy going. Nothing seemed to freak him out and right now he looked scared out of his wits. He fought the urge to laugh as he thought about it. Here was a guy, 6'4 and 260 pounds standing before him and he looked absolutely terrified. "What do you need to ask me then, Paul? You know I'm here to help in any way that I can."_

_Paul felt the walls of the office closing in on him. He had to do it now or he would probably die from nerves. __**This is it. Just say what you had prepared and everything should be fine!**__ With this in mind, he stood straighter and looked Vince in the eye. However, when he opened his mouth to speak, nothing came out. __**Shit, Shit, Shit! I can't remember what to say!**__He searched his mind for the words but nothing came. Noticing the worried look on Vince's face and realising that he was starting to sweat, he blurted out the first thing that came to mind but the last thing he wanted to say at that time,_

"_I want to marry Stephanie!"_

_**Idiot! Stupid, stupid idiot! Of all the things to blurt out and I had to say that. Good going Paul!**_

_Vince looked at the man before him. Paul was an absolute ball of nerves. His forehead was sweating, hands wringing and feet shuffling. He now realised why. He wanted to marry his baby girl. He decided to take advantage of Paul's current state and have some fun. He looked at him sternly, not saying a word. He saw the look of sheer horror on his face and again forced himself not to laugh._

_**Oh shit! He's going to say no!**_

_Realising that he may just have screwed up his chances of marriage with Stephanie, he decided to go all out and hope for the best. "Look Vince, I had a speech and everything prepared before I came in here with all the reasons why you should let me marry Stephanie but I...ahhh...I lost my nerve," he let out a nervous chuckle before continuing. "Believe me, that is not the way I had planned to ask you that. What I meant to say was that I love your daughter with everything I have and I want to spend the rest of my life with her. I also wanted you to know that I realise that there will be tough times ahead and that because of the delicate situation we are in, that a lot of people won't like it. But I know that we will make it because I love her too much to let her go." He paused for a breath before continuing, "I'm asking for your permission, and hopefully your blessing, to marry your daughter."_

_Vince looked at him and couldn't help but feel touched. He already knew that Stephanie and Paul were in love and after listening to Paul's words, his thoughts on the matter only strengthened. He'd tried to keep them apart once and it didn't work. They were obviously in too deep and if he was honest with himself, he should have been expecting this. Marriage was the next logical step after all. Although saddened by the fact that he would have to give his daughter away, he felt assured by the fact that he would be giving her to Paul. He motioned for Paul to sit on the leather couch and this time, he obliged. Vince sat beside him and prepared his words before he spoke, "Paul, I just want you to know that I couldn't have hand picked a better man for Stephanie myself. I know that you love her and that you make her happy and that's all that I ask, that you always love her and always make her happy. I'm also very touched that you came here and asked my permission first. It tells me that you care about Stephanie enough to put yourself through this and I can tell that it wasn't easy for you." He let out a chuckle and looked at Paul who was looking straight back at him, a goofy grin plastered on his face._

_Vince stood and Paul followed. He placed his hands on the younger mans shoulders before speaking again, "You have my permission and my blessing. Welcome to the family...son." With these words, Vince pulled him into a tight hug and patted his back before releasing him._

"_Thank you Vince. You've just made me the happiest guy in the world right now. All I gotta' do is figure out how to pop the question," he let out a nervous chuckle and looked at Vince. The older man smiled warmly and told him not to disappoint. He then moved back around his desk and lifted the phone._

"_I'm going to call Linda and tell her the good news. You can go and get ready for the show. Just because you're gonna' be marrying my daughter doesn't mean you can turn into a slacker!"_

_Paul smiled and turned and left the room. He couldn't believe it. After all the crap that he'd had to deal with, first with the problems about getting involved in the first place followed by getting broken _

_up by Vince himself, he was finally going to marry Stephanie. They were going to me man and wife! He walked down the corridor and to his locker room with a smile on his face. Once inside, he sat on the couch and started to plan how to propose. He wanted it to be perfect. Nothing short of perfection was good enough for Stephanie. __**Maybe over dinner? Gotta have lots of roses too. It's gotta be romantic. Maybe Stephs' favourite hotel...**_

* * *

Stephanie sighed as she opened her weary eyes. The plane cabin was dark and rather cold and she pulled the airline issued blanket back up around her. Lifting her head from her husband's shoulder, she noticed that Aurora was still sleeping on his lap, her little head slumped over on his forearm which was resting against the panelled cabin wall. Pauls head had slumped over too now that she had moved hers from underneath it and she gently pushed it over to lean against the window. He grunted softly before cuddling Aurora closer to his body and sleeping on. Satisfied that her family was safe and sleeping soundly, she pressed the call button and waited. After a few seconds, a very young looking stewardess approached.

"May I help you Mam?" the young blonde asked, glancing at Paul and Aurora and smiling.

"Yes, could I get a glass of water please? Thank you." Stephanie watched the young woman walk up the aisle and into the area which stored all the provisions for the passengers. She called to a young male stewardess nearby and they both started giggling over something, their heads close together as if it were a secret. They both came down the aisle towards her seat, the female stewardess with her water in hand. Stephanie watched them as they got closer to her, immediately sensing that the male of the two was either extremely feminine or gay just by his overall manner. She saw that both their eyes were concentrated not on her, but rather, on the sleeping form of her husband. The male stewardess's eyes went wide when he saw Paul and she heard the female whisper "I told you so," just before she handed the glass to Stephanie.

"Can we get you anything else Mam?" asked the male in a rather high pitched voice and Stephanie had to keep from chuckling out loud. _Oh Yeah, this guy is most definitely gay!_ His eyes were still glued to Paul as he spoke to her and Stephanie got the sneaking suspicion that his pal had called him down to get a look. He looked a little bit star struck and she decided to have a little fun with the two of them.

"No thanks, this is great. But...I couldn't help but notice that you were staring at my husband. See anything you like?" This time she couldn't contain her laughter as the young man's eyes almost popped out of his head and his face turned a deep shade of red.

"No Mam, I wasn't...I...I..." he stuttered.

"Relax. Relax. I'm only messing with you. Really its ok, Todd," she told him, reading his name off the nameplate attached to his waistcoat. He still looked quite shaken until he realised that the female stewardess was in a fit of laughter. He began to pout as he thumped her arm and told her to "Shut up." Stephanie looked at her nameplate which read "Jennifer" and couldn't help but join in. She obviously found it rather funny that her friend was absolutely mortified.

"I'm really sorry..." he began again but was cut off.

"Don't be. I'm used to this kind of thing. No harm in enjoying the scenery right? Just don't tell him when he wakes up. The man's head is already big enough as it is!"

"You're really ok with it?"

"Of course I am. You didn't even do anything anyway. You just looked at him. Although next time you're checking somebody out, you might want to be a little more subtle." Stephanie joked and was relieved to see a smile come across his face.

"Well can you blame me? Your husband is hot!"

"Todd!" scolded his companion, "I can't believe you just said that!"

"Hey, it's alright Jenn. She already knows I was checking him out. She's cool with it. Right?" he looked at Stephanie.

"Right," she said as she nodded her head, "I'm cool with it." She laughed as she thought of the silliness of the whole situation. Paul would definitely be lapping this all up if he were awake right now, although the fact that this was a guy checking him out might throw him a little. Now she wished he was awake so that she could see his reaction. She toyed with the idea of waking him but decided against it. He needed his rest for the show. Suddenly, the pilot's voice was heard over the speakers, telling the cabin crew to prepare the plane for landing. She told the two young stewardess's to hurry on so as not to get them into trouble and leaned her head back on the chair. She would give it ten minutes before she'd have to wake Paul so he could be ready for when they landed. She looked over at him and immediately saw what had captivated her two young friends. The cabin was dark with just the little overhead light shining down on his face. The shadow made his trimmed beard look a little darker than it was and a stray piece of hair fell over his eye. He looked beautiful and her breath caught. Every now and then she would look at him and fall in love all over again. He really was everything she could ever have dreamed of. Shuffling closer and laying her head back on his shoulder, she took his hand and intertwined their fingers. She absentmindedly began to run one finger over his wedding band as she sat there and enjoyed being close to him. Other women, and men for that matter, could look all they wanted but she knew in her heart that he belonged to her, just as she belonged to him.


	8. Proposal

_A light rain fell from the sky as Paul stepped out of the limousine. He held out his hand and Stephanie took it, also stepping out into the crisp night air. Paul tipped the driver before they made their way inside the hotel._

"_This is where we are staying tonight then?" Stephanie asked, her eyes lighting up at the thought. This was her favourite hotel in New York City and a night together in here would definitely top off their Valentine's Day._

"_This is exactly where we're staying tonight," he answered with a smile._

_They approached the reception desk and the middle aged lady behind the counter smiled at Paul. Earlier in the day, he had come to the hotel to make sure that everything was going to be prepared for tonight and was helped by the very same woman. She was very eager to help and a hopeless romantic and had told him countless times how much Stephanie was going to love what he had planned for her. After getting the key card, he winked at his accomplice who winked right back at him and led Stephanie to the elevator._

"_You're very quiet babe. Is everything OK?" Stephanie asked as they stepped inside. She reached up and palmed his cheek, looking into his eyes to ensure that he was alright. Usually if they were having a romantic night, by this stage they would be all over each other but he was keeping his distance for some reason and she couldn't figure out why._

_Paul looked at her and gave her a small smile. "I'm fine babe. Just can't wait to get you upstairs and all alone." He pulled her close and felt her arms wrap around his shoulders. His nerves must have been showing if she was suspecting that something was up. Truth was, he was just trying to stay calm and not freak out over what he was about to do. He had everything planned down to a T and wanted it all to go off without a hitch. Also the fact that he was about to propose to the woman he loved was playing havoc with his nerves. The elevator pinged as it stopped at their floor and he jumped slightly._

_Stephanie looked at him sceptically. Something was definitely wrong with him tonight. Dinner had been great but towards the end of it and all through the limo ride to the hotel he had seemed a little off. "Babe are you sure you're OK?"_

_He accidently let out a nervous chuckle which only raised her suspicions even further as he told her that he was fine. Taking her hand again, he led her towards the door to their suite and prepared himself for the night ahead. __**Don't screw this up Paul. This is the most important thing you'll ever have to ask in your life and you have to do it right, so knock off the nerves and go in there and do this!**__ His little pep talk seemed to work as he felt a wave of confidence wash over his body. He moved behind Stephanie and put a hand over her eyes. He shook off her protests by bringing a finger to her lips before opening the door and ushering them both inside._

_He removed his hand from her eyes and smiled when he heard her gasp. Stephanie took in the room before her. There were no lights apart from the soft glow of the fire and a few carefully placed candles. The curtains to the balcony doors were wide open and the beautiful night sky shone through. As she turned to face him, she noticed a trail of rose petals leading towards the bedroom. _

"_Paul! This is...I can't believe that you did all this. It's beautiful"_

"_It's not over. Come with me." He followed the trail, leading her to the bedroom where he heard another gasp. Again, there were no lights except for the candles that adorned the room. The bed was covered in red, pink and white roses and a small card lay in the middle. She leaned over and picked it up._

_**Happy Valentine's Day**_

_**Love,**_

_**Paul**_

_While she was reading the card, Paul took the ring box out of his pocket and knelt before her, waiting for her to turn and face him. Stephanie turned to thank him when she saw him down on one knee before her, an open ring box in his hand. Her hand flew to her mouth and she dropped the card, finally realising what was happening. She looked into his eyes, a place where she could always find comfort and security and saw that they were filled with love. He had a gentle smile on his face as he took her hand and she couldn't stop a tear from escaping her eye._

"_Stephanie, I love you more than anything in the world. These past few years have been the best years of my life because you were a part of them. Being with you everyday means more to me than any number of titles ever could. I love waking up in the morning knowing that I'll get to spend my day with you. I love going to sleep at night with you in my arms because I know you'll be there when I wake up. I can only hope that I make you half as happy as you make me." His voice wavered as he felt overcome by his emotions. "I want to spend the rest of my life with you. You're already my best friend and everything else that's important to me. But I want you as my wife and I want you to be the mother of my children. You are my heart and soul and I love you." He took a pause before finally asking the question that could change his life. "Stephanie, will you marry me?"_

_Her head nodded and she blurted out a tearful "Yes! Yes, I'll marry you." They both smiled as he slipped the huge rock on her finger before she quickly pulled him up and right into her arms. "I love you too. I love you so much," she whispered against his lips before crashing hers against them. He pulled her tightly to his body and kissed her with every ounce of passion her could muster. She undid his blue silk tie and her hands began to undo the buttons of his light blue shirt. He moved his lips to her neck and over his shoulder, she caught sight of her brand new engagement ring, sparkling in the darkened room. Suddenly she felt an urgent need wash over her body. She needed him. Needed to be close to him. She frantically pushed the shirt off his shoulders and chucked the tie to the floor, her hands running over his smooth, firm chest. She brought her hands to the buckle of his pants and made quick work of his belt. He sensed her urgency and unzipped her deep blue dress, letting it fall to the floor before cupping her behind and lifting her into his arms. She kicked off her heels and kissed him passionately, her hands cupping his face as he lay her down on the bed. He broke from their kiss and moved his lips to her neck, and then her breasts as his hands fumbled with the hook to her bra. She pushed his pants and boxers down his legs in one fluid motion and he kicked them off, reaching down to remove his socks in the process. As he ascended her body, he stopped and placed kisses all over her inner thighs but was stopped from going any further when he was yanked back up again._

"_I need you too badly. I need you right now," she whispered. There was a wild look in her eyes that penetrated deep into his soul. There was time for foreplay later. Right now, they needed to be one. He ripped her thong off her body and positioned himself above her. Stephanie threw her head back in pleasure as he entered her. He pulled almost all the way out before slamming back in again and she moaned loudly, pulling his face down and kissing him hard. He began to work himself in and out of her, his tongue mimicking the actions of his pulsating length. She rocked her hips into his and encouraged him to quicken the pace. He took her hand and intertwined their fingers, placing it above her head and buried his head into her shoulder as he followed her lead. His thrusts became quicker and harder, their moans and heavy breaths becoming louder and louder. Her free hand was gripping his hair tightly, her body awash in the pleasure only he could give to her. Suddenly she felt tingles of pleasure shoot throughout her body as her climax neared. Her body shook as she let go and she called his name loudly, almost pulling at his hair as the feeling swept over her. He felt his stomach tighten before he too came undone, his entire body shaking at the force of his release. He lay still, catching his breath after their passionate encounter before rolling to his side and pulling her close. He buried his head into her neck and placed gentle kisses all over._

"_I love you," he whispered softly.__She lovingly rubbed at the arms draped around her, turning her head and placing a gentle kiss on his lips. "I love you," she whispered back. She cuddled closer to him and pulled his arms tighter around her, interlocking their fingers. She felt her new ring brush against his hand and couldn't help but glance at it once again. The diamond sparkled under the soft moon lit rays that flooded into the room. They were engaged. Engaged to be married! The fairytale that she had dreamed of as a child was actually coming true and it was all thanks to the man currently holding her in his arms._

* * *

Stephanie grimaced as she watched the small monitor. Paul did not take that tackle right at all and looked to be in considerable pain. He was gripping his abdomen and as the camera zoomed in on his face, she could see he was struggling to catch a breath. She watched on as he used the ropes and slowly made it to his feet, still shielding his abdomen with his arm and still looking very winded.

"I think Hunter took a bad bump out there," said one of the WWE officials currently beside her at the gorilla position.

"Chioda! What's goin' on out there? Is Hunter all right?" Vince barked into the microphone, undoubtedly deafening poor Mike Chioda who was refereeing the match. The 'X' sign hadn't been given but anyone with eyes could see that Paul was hurting and if it was going to affect the outcome of the match then something had to be done. Chioda subtly shook his head "Yes" for the backstage crew to see. Stephanie rolled her eyes. Obviously everything wasn't all right but Paul was being Paul and toughing it out as usual. The roar of the crowd brought her back to her senses and she looked on as Paul hit the pedigree and covered Umaga for the 1, 2, 3. Chioda was straight back over to him and immediately helped him stay upright once he'd rolled out of the ring. After a few minutes, he came limping through the curtain and Chris, the trainer, ushered him off and into the makeshift examination room. As he was getting carted off, he caught her eye and smiled meekly, trying to ensure her he was fine when she knew fine rightly that he wasn't. But she did know that it was nothing too serious and simply mouthed "2 minutes," to him before turning her attention back to the monitor. Before she even had to ask, her dad told her to "just go," and without a word, she left her seat and headed for the room which currently situated her husband.

As she entered the room, his sharp intake of breath was the first thing she heard. He was sitting facing away from her and Chris was poking and prodding at his ribs.

"Shit! That's it right there man. Owwww!"

Chris continued to poke and prod around his abdominal area and the expletives continued to flow from his mouth. Stephanie walked over until she was in his line of sight and he smiled sheepishly at her.

"Hi."

"Hi. You're not looking too good right now. What happened out there?" she asked, coming to stand at his side and sneaking a peek at his slightly bruised ribs.

"I timed the move wrong and he hit me when I wasn't ready for it, that's all."

"Oh. Is that all?"

"It's nothin' Steph. Right Chris?"

Chris lifted his head from inspecting Paul's ribs and nodded. "He's fine Mrs. McMahon, really. Nothing seems to be broken and his breathing has levelled out. He was probably winded back there but that's passed now. Just a little banged up around the rib area. Should all be gone in a couple of days. We'll just tape him up and that's it done." He moved to get the things he needed and quickly returned to Paul's side. Stephanie sat at the other and looked on as Chris first wrapped the bandages around his abdomen and then followed it up with the stiffer tape. "That's you, all done. Just take it easy for the next few days all right."

"Thanks man. See ya later'." Paul watched as he cleared up and left the room before slowly turning to face his wife. He could try turning on the charm but that probably wouldn't work. She always got upset when he was hurt and nothing he did could cheer her up. Only when she was satisfied that he was really ok would she stop worrying. "Steph I'm fine. Sure my ribs hurt a little but it's not the end of the world."

She reached out and ran her hand over his newly bandaged ribs. Her hand slowly trailed up his chest and finally rested against his cheek. "I just don't like to see you get hurt."

"It's nothing serious though. Just gotta move a little...bit...slower." he struggled with his words as he tried to sit up and was met with a throbbing pain in his abdomen. "Shit!"

"Is it that bad?" she asked concerned about his well being.

"No. But how the hell am I supposed to get a shower with my ribs taped up like this? Dammit!" He growled as he stood and was met with another pain in his abdomen.

"Why don't we just head out to the bus and you can get a shower out there. Or you can wait until morning when you'll be putting fresh bandages on anyway. That might be better because you need to rest baby." She rubbed his arms affectionately, trying to convince him that a shower wasn't what was important right now. Him getting rest was.

"But I'm all sweaty." He scrunched up his face and was met with laughter from his wife.

"It's not as if you've never gone to bed all sweaty before babe! I mean, there _is _this little activity that we do quite often in bed and it tends to get you all sweaty. You've never complained before."

A slow smile crept over his face. He had to admit, she was right on that one. "That's because there's absolutely no reason to complain when we do that 'little activity' as you like to call it. All right, you win. No shower but straight to bed for me. Hopefully you will be joining me and we then we can..." he started to suggest but was cut off.

"Don't even think it babe. You can hardly move without wincing never mind do what you were just about to suggest we do." She chuckled at his pout and took his hand. "Come on. We'd better get a move on before the rest of the guys start to leave and we get caught up in conversation."

He was silent as they left the room and walked down the hall towards his dressing room to collect their bags. Just as they reached the door, he turned to her with a hopeful look on his face. "Are you sure that we just can't..."

"No! Completely out of the question! And what makes you think you'll be able to satisfy me in your ailing condition anyway?" She knew she would get a rise out of him for even questioning his manhood. It worked every time.

"I'm gonna make you eat those words babe. Trust me, I'm gonna make you eat those words," he replied in a huff, shaking his head. Stephanie just laughed at him standing there all bandaged up with a massive pout on his face.

"I'm looking forward to it." She winked at him and caught the smile on his face as he turned away from her. Yes, she most definitely was looking forward to it. Just like she always did.


	9. Wedding

_The full length mirror reflected a vision of loveliness. Stephanie stared again, making sure that everything was in place. Her ivory wedding gown clung to her upper body, then fanned out at the waist and created a moderate train on the floor. She smiled at her reflection before glancing down at her engagement ring which would soon be joined by her wedding ring. Just eight months ago, he'd asked for her hand in marriage and now it was finally going to happen. An excited shriek escaped her and she laughed at her giddiness. She wondered if Paul was feeling the same._

_"Son, will you just relax. I swear you're gonna make a hole in the floor with all your pacing."_

_"Dad, how can I relax? I'm about to marry Stephanie in like," he glanced at his watch and his eyes went wide, "An hour! Oh Shit! Shit, shit, shit!"_

_Paul Snr chuckled at his son's nerves. For these past few days of pre-wedding parties and celebrations, he'd been fine. But as soon as he'd stepped foot into the waiting room of the Church, nerves had completely taken over and he hadn't stopped freaking out ever since._

_"Dad?"_

_"Yes?" Paul Snr turned to look at his son and saw a look on his face that he very rarely saw. Fear._

_"Dad, what if...what if I'm not...what if I'm not good enough...as a husband. I mean, before Steph and hell, even before Joanie, I was a...I slept around Dad. A lot. And then when I was with Joanie I was never able to commit to her and I'm just scared that I'll turn out to be a crappy husband. Stephanie deserves the very best of everything, Dad. She should have someone that's...someone that's..."_

_"Someone that's not you? Is that what you're trying to say?" Paul Snr cut in, nudging his son onto the small sofa inside the room and sitting down beside him. He put a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "Listen Paul, you're having the very common wedding jitters. You love Stephanie and there's no doubt in my mind that she loves you. All that sleeping around stuff, you were just young and living it up back then. You were in a business where it was commonplace to do what you did. And then you met Joanie and you stayed with her for what, four years? That's commitment son. You just weren't ready to take that final step because she was the wrong woman. And now you're with Stephanie who is the perfect woman. I've never seen you happier than when you guys got together. She's good for you, just like you're good for her. You're going to make a fine husband because of who you are and how your mother and I raised you. You're a good man Paul and don't you let anybody tell you different. And anyway, do you really think Vince would let you marry Stephanie if he thought otherwise?"_

_Paul chuckled and blasted himself for his stupid insecurities. He pulled his father into a tight hug. "Thanks Dad. I really needed that."_

_"No problem son. Now you're gonna go out there and have the time of your life. You only get to do this once so soak it all up. And by the way, when your soon-to-be bride starts her walk down the aisle, try not to drool too much!"_

_"What do you..." Paul asked confused but was again cut off by his father._

_"Trust me. You'll know at the time. It happens to all of us."Paul just laughed and straightened his tie for the umpteenth time. His black suit was spotless, shoes shined and the little maroon pocket square perfectly in place. His hair was neatly tied back and beard freshly trimmed. He was ready for this. Ready to walk down that aisle and make Stephanie McMahon his wife."_

* * *

Paul! Don't you dare...Paul I'm warning you. Pau...PAUL!" Stephanie shrieked as she was unceremoniously dumped into the pool. She came up sputtering water and wiping her eyes just in time to see the airborne form of her husband a few feet above her head right before he splashed into the pool right beside her, causing a wave of water to come crashing into her face.

"Paul I swear to God I'm gonna..." she stopped mid sentence when she saw him laughing his head off. She heard even more laughter coming from the patio table as Shane and Marissa were also laughing at her. Even little Declan was joining in.

"Steph...if you could see your face right now...oh God, my stomach hurts!" Paul managed to get out in between his fits of laughter.

"It's not funny Paul," she scolded, rebuffing his attempts to touch her.

"Come on babe, how can you say that wasn't funny. And anyway, I told you the other week that I was gonna get you back for the little comments you made. I was just biding my time and I got you back perfectly." He smiled at her, his face a mixture of pride and amusement as he tried to approach her once again. He reached her and wrapped his arms around her waist.

"We're all square now so you can stop being mad at me ok. And I'm sorry for getting you all wet but you've never complained before." He winked before giving his best puppy dog face. She couldn't help but laugh. He always knew what to say to make her feel better and to be honest, she wasn't even that angry with him anyway.

"Ok then. Fair's fair. But ah," she pulled his head down and whispered into his ear, "maybe you could try your little 'getting me wet' routine later." As she said it, her hand snaked along the waistband of his shorts and she nipped at his earlobe with her tongue. She pulled back and saw an almost pained expression on his face.

"I thought we were even and you go and do that! Damn woman, I can't get out of the pool now." He reached down and pushed her hand off him, taking a step back from her so she could do no more damage to his already stirring nether regions.

Stephanie just laughed with a wicked smile on her face. "Don't you know me by now baby. Looks like I go one up on you. And speaking of up..." she looked down and indicated the bulge in his shorts before laughing again and swimming away. He looked after her with a vengeful look on his face, silently willing his "problem" to go away before someone asked why the hell he was still in the pool. "Two can play at this game baby, oh yeah, two can play at this game," he muttered to himself, starting to do a lap of the pool in an attempt to get rid of some of the tension in his body.

_

* * *

_

Paul stood at the altar and looked around the Church. It was filled with familiar faces, all anxiously awaiting the arrival of the bride but none more so than him. He saw Linda sitting with his mother, both looking at him with that motherly look on their face. On one side of them sat Shane and 

_Marissa and on the other side was his sister Lynn and Pete. Neysa was waiting down at the back somewhere, probably all psyched to be doing her flower girl thing. His Dad stood just to the side of him. He was just about to ask how long it normally took for things to get rolling when soft music filtered through the air from the string quartet at the podium inside the Church and the wedding party began its walk down the aisle. He smirked at Shawn as he held the arm of one of Stephanie's friends when they finally reached the top of the altar and separated. The rest of the wedding party was a blur, all except Neysa who came to stand at his side of the altar, a look of total concentration on her face as she tried not to drop the basket she was holding and he let out a chuckle. She looked very pretty in her little wine coloured dress and he sought out Lynn in the front row to give her a wink. She winked right back at him. Suddenly, the quartet switched to the wedding march and almost instantly, the congregation stood. Paul's heart jumped to his throat as he saw the faint silhouette of Vince and Stephanie make their way arm in arm down the aisle. They got closer and closer and his heart threatened to jump clean out of his mouth. They reached the top and Vince turned to his daughter, gently removing the veil from her face. Paul swore he could see tears in his eyes and felt his own eyes welling up. However, once Stephanie lifted her head and smiled at him, his whole world stopped. She was absolutely breathtaking. She looked like an angel standing there in her gown. All of a sudden his nerves left him and his heart returned to his chest. He had no reason to be nervous. His whole life was standing in front of him and she looked indescribable. He smiled back at her and couldn't help but feel that this was the first day to the rest of his life._

_"Who gives this woman to be wed," the elderly priest said in his noble yet gentle voice._

_Stephanie tore her eyes from Paul and looked at her father who did indeed have tears in his eyes. She was his baby girl but now she would belong to somebody else. Vince pulled her into a tight hug and whispered his love for her. When they pulled back, he regained his composure and spoke proudly, "I do." He grabbed her hand and placed it in Pauls, giving him a reassuring pat on the back. "You take care of my baby girl, you hear," he whispered and Paul nodded his head sincerely. Vince took one last look at his daughter before finally stepping back and joining Linda in the front row, his tears returning as he realised that he had just given his daughter away._

_"We are gathered here today to bear witness to the union of Miss Stephanie McMahon and Mr Paul Levesque..." the priest began, officially starting the ceremony. But Paul barely heard him. All his attention was on the woman before him. He gave her hand a gentle squeeze and smiled when she squeezed back. "You look beautiful" he mouthed and was rewarded with her blushing face. He smiled again and turned his attention to the priest. He couldn't wait until this was over and he could finally call her his wife._

_The rest of the ceremony flew by until it came to the most important part, the vows._

_"Stephanie, do you take Paul for your lawfully wedded husband. Will you love, honour, comfort, and cherish him from this day forward, forsaking all others, keeping only unto him for as long as you both shall live?" asked the priest as he turned towards her._

_She smiled as she looked directly into Paul's eyes before replying. "I do."_

_The priest then turned his attention to Paul and repeated the vow. "Paul, do you take Stephanie for your lawfully wedded wife. Will you love, honour, comfort, and cherish her from this day forward, forsaking all others, keeping only unto her for as long as you both shall live?"_

_His eyes sparkled as he answered. "I do."_

_"Having received your acceptance of those vows, I will now ask you to repeat after me," began the priest. He said the vows and motioned for Stephanie to begin. Again she looked directly into Paul's eyes and saw such love there. He was her rock, her strength, her life. Her eyes clouded over and a few tears fell down her cheeks._

_"I Stephanie, take thee Paul, to be my wedded husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love, honour, and cherish, 'til death do us part." She managed to get it all out, her voice slightly breaking towards the end as her emotions took over._

_The priest then motioned for Paul to begin and he stepped forward, bringing his hand to her face to gently wipe the tears from her cheeks. He lifted her chin and looked into her eyes, staring into her soul as he took the pledge. "I Paul, take thee Stephanie, to be my wedded wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love, honour, and cherish, 'til death do us part." He took her hand again and waited for the priest to continue. He asked for the rings to be brought forward and the ceremony continued. After they placed the rings on each other's fingers, the priest gave a short reflection before starting to finish things up._

_"Paul, Stephanie, by the power vested in me by our lord Jesus Christ, I now pronounce you man and wife," he looked at Paul and continued, "You may kiss the bride son." With those words, Paul pulled her close and kissed her softly, her hands framing his face as they let their emotions spill over into a rather passionate kiss. The priest, realising that they weren't stopping anytime soon, gave up and concluded the ceremony. "Ladies and gentlemen, I give to you, Mr and Mrs Paul Levesque." The congregation of WWE superstars, friends and family let out a great cheer as the newly wedded couple finally parted and walked hand in hand down the aisle, very ready to begin their new life together._

* * *

"Bye guys! See you Monday night." Stephanie called out as Shane, Marissa and the kids left for their car. They were staying at their parent's house just up the road. As Stephanie closed the door, she jumped as the lights suddenly went out.

"Paul." She asked, flicking the switch to the light but nothing happened.

"Paul? Are you there?" she asked again, slowly feeling her way towards their spacious living room. She jumped again when she bumped into the arm of the sofa. She made her way into the kitchen and found a letter pasted to the fridge that wasn't there before. Squinting to read it in the darkness, her face became confused once she worked out what it said.

**Meet me in the guest room downstairs.**

"What the hell are you up to?" she said to herself, making her way to the required room. When she entered, the place was in complete darkness.

"Paul, are you in here?" she asked tentatively, having a quick peek around the room. She jumped and gasped loudly when she felt something being placed over her eyes.

"Shhhhhh. It's ok. It's only me," he whispered into her ear, tying the blindfold in a knot before guiding her to the bed.

"Paul. Not that I'm complaining, but what the hell are you doing?" She felt the mattress dip slightly as he lowered himself over her.

"What does it look like I'm doing. I'm trying to seduce you here babe," he whispered, running feather light kisses along her neck.

She breathed heavily and closed her eyes under the blindfold as his lips moved to her collarbone, then lower until he was kissing and nipping at the tops of her breasts through the blouse that she wore. "Want to tell me what you're little note was all about?"

"You'll soon find out," he murmured into her neck, his hands coming in on the action as they began to caress her sides.

His name left her lips in a low whisper as he opened each button of her blouse and kissed the skin it revealed. When he reached her naval, he rubbed his beard all around it and heard her chuckle. "Babe, that tickles."

He smiled and began to work his way back up her body until he reached her ear. "I bet this doesn't" he said before crushing his lips against hers. Her arms immediately came up to wrap around his neck and she thrust her tongue out to meet his. She moaned into his mouth as the sensation was only heightened by the fact that she was blindfold. Their tongues brushed together and she tried to kiss him harder but he pulled away and moved back to her neck.

"Paul," she moaned, needing to feel his lips on hers again. She tried to pull him back up but he resisted and put his finger against her lips. "All in good time babe, all in good time." He groaned inwardly when she sucked his finger into her mouth, gently swirling her tongue around it. He was already trying his hardest not to give in and when she did things like that it only made it worse. He couldn't give in though. She was going to pay for that little attack earlier in the pool, he was going to make sure of it by teasing the hell out of her until she could take no more. Getting back on track, he pulled his finger from her mouth and brought his hands to her pants, gently tugging them down her long legs. He ran his hands up her calves and started a trail of kisses up her inner thigh, getting closer and closer to his destination. She opened her legs a little wider and lifted her hips, expecting him to take off her panties and when he didn't she lifted her head to look down at him, then realised that she was blindfold and put her head back on the pillow. Whatever he was up to was most definitely working. He'd barely even touched her yet and she was already desperate for him.

He continued to kiss and lick at her thighs, a satisfied smile adorning his face as he listened to her soft moans. He decided to move in for the kill. After all, there was only so much of this teasing a guy could take before he exploded and her little moans and movements were driving him crazy. He was 

rock hard and ready for her but wasn't quite through yet. He moved his mouth back to her naval and ran his tongue in a line, all the way down to her damp panties, his hands coming up to palm her inner thighs and hips. She moaned loudly as he started to blow softly against her, the sensation driving her wild. His name passed her lips as his tongue barely touched the soft cotton. She could feel his mouth, just hovering there and swore he was actually trying to kill her. He removed her panties and just as she suspected he was finally going to move in, he came back up to her face.

"Are you ready," he whispered against her lips, thankful that he thought about the blindfold because he was about to burst out laughing any second now. She nodded her head. "No Steph, I said, ARE YOU READDDDDDDDY!"

She sat up and whipped the blindfold off her head to find him lying on the bed beside her in a fit of laughter. "What the hell are you doing Paul? You can't just get me all...all flustered like that and then play some stupid joke." She glared at him across the bed, beginning to think he'd lost his mind.

He sat up and smiled cockily at her. "Is that right now? What about that little stunt you pulled in the pool earlier huh? I couldn't get out for like 10 damn minutes!"

"Payback! This is payback for that!"

"You're damn right it is and you wanna know something, it feels good!"

"I can't believe you!" She shrieked, grabbing a pillow and whacking him right in the face with it. She laughed as he grabbed a pillow of his own and tried to fight back. She screamed and hit him playfully as they rolled around on the bed, both trying to gain dominance over the other. Finally they came to a stop with her sitting on his lap, his hands resting against her hips.

"So now that you've got your revenge, do you think we can stop this fooling around?" She began to run her hands along his chest.

"I don't know. I kinda like fooling around with you," he smiled cheekily and she smiled back.

"You know what I mean."

He flipped them over so that he was hovering on top of her. "Yeah, I know what you mean," he whispered before quickly moving down her body to rest his head at her naval. He looked up at her and smirked, "Now that we're not fooling around anymore, we can move on to our next activity which has been aptly named the 'getting me wet' routine." She chuckled, then gasped sharply as he finally gave her the pleasure she was so desperately craving by letting his lips and tongue work their magic.

_

* * *

_

The dance floor was almost full with half drunken guests and happy dancers. Paul and Stephanie sat at the main table, conversing with the various different people seated with them. They'd barely had a moment alone together since leaving their limo and having their first dance as man and wife and Stephanie decided to change that. Standing up from her chair, she excused herself before grabbing Paul's hand, practically pulling him from his conversation with her father and dragging him to the dance floor.

_He smirked down at her. "Hello to you too."_

_"I'm sorry about that but we haven't been alone together since we first got here and I wanted to spend some time alone with my husband, so sue me."_

_"That's fine with me." He pulled her body close as a slow song filtered through the speakers and she laid her head on his shoulder. "Hey, they're playing our song," he whispered into her ear, recognising the tune over the lively chatter in the reception room. Stephanie smiled as she listened to him gently sing the words into her ear and she sighed happily, mouthing the words against his chest._

**_It's late in the evening; she's wondering what clothes to wear.  
She puts on her make-up and brushes her long blonde hair.  
And then she asks me, "Do I look all right?"  
And I say, "Yes, you look wonderful tonight."_**

_We go to a party and everyone turns to see  
This beautiful lady that's walking around with me.  
And then she asks me, "Do you feel all right?"  
And I say, "Yes, I feel wonderful tonight."_

_They swayed gently to the music, his hands gently stroking her back as she played with his hair. He pulled back and looked into her eyes as he sang the next part, a gentle smile masking his face. **"I feel wonderful, because I see the love right in your eyes. And the wonder of it all, is that you just don't realize how much I love you."** She pulled his head down until their lips met in a sweet kiss, keeping their faces close when they broke apart. She leaned her head against the side of his face as the rest of the song played, safe and secure in the knowledge that her life was absolutely perfect right now._

**_It's time to go home now and I've got an aching head,_**

**_So I give her the car keys and she helps me to bed._**

**_And then I tell her, as I turn out the light,_**

**_I say, "My darling, you were wonderful tonight._**

**_Oh my darling, you were wonderful tonight."_**

_After dancing to a few more songs, they headed back to the table. Paul glanced at his watch and frowned. It was 11.30 and they hadn't even started their private wedding night celebrations. Not to mention the fact that they had to be up quite early in the morning to make their flight. He decided that it was time to call it a night. At least down here anyway._

_"I think it's time we headed up to the room don't you. I've waited long enough to get you all alone and we need to be starting our own private celebrations," he joked, gently rubbing her thigh through her dress._

_She turned to look at him and smiled, returning the favour, "I think you're right. Let me just say goodbye to my parents and we can go."_

_"We'll both go. First to your parents, then mine and then we can get out of here."_

_As they went in search of Vince and Linda, they found them conveniently seated at the bar with Paul's parents._

_"Hey guys, we just came to tell you that we're gonna head on now." Paul stated._

_"It's about time you got moving. Got an early flight to catch in the morning," said Patricia, leaning in to give her son a hug. Paul Snr followed suit while Patricia pulled Stephanie into a hug._

_"I'm so happy for you two. Really I am. I don't think I've ever seen two people so in love," she gushed into Stephanie's ear, causing her to smile. "Thank you Patricia," she replied._

_When they broke apart, Stephanie was pulled into a tight hug by her dad, who she guessed was probably going to start crying again. Seriously if the boys in the back could see you now, she thought to herself. "Congratulations Stephanie. I'm so proud of you, of who you are and what you've become. I love you so much," he managed to choke out._

_Stephanie rolled her eyes. "Da-ad! I'm not dying or anything. I love you too, now stop crying."_

_She broke away in time to see her mother hugging Paul tightly, whispering something in his ear. She guessed now was the time that both their parents decided to share their thoughts and feelings. They'd probably be here all day now, especially with her dad blubbering away like he was. Luckily though, the rest of their hugging and pearls of wisdom didn't last that long and soon she found herself pressed against the back of the elevator wall, her husband's lips trailing up and down her neck as they headed towards their suite. As the door pinged open to their private floor, he turned them around, walking her backwards until she hit the door to their room, not once breaking their kiss. He fished around in his pocket for the key and opened the door, stopping her from walking inside._

_"Tradition babe," he said, before sweeping her into his arms and walking into the room. "Have to carry the bride across the threshold right?" She just laughed at him and pulled his lips to hers once again, hearing the door click shut behind them. They made their way to the bedroom, ready to have that private celebration talked about downstairs and ready to start their new lives together as husband and wife._


	10. Honeymoon

_The setting sun cast a wonderful glow over the sea before her. The sky, now a mixture of deep blue's and pink's, was a beautiful sight to behold and she was more than content to just sit and take it all in. This was her honeymoon after all. As she gazed at the sky, her thoughts turned to her husband. Her husband of just five days. She couldn't stop the smile that spread across her face as she thought about him. He was her absolute dream come true. She kneeled down and toyed with the sand at her feet. Grasping a hand full, she stood and gently let it drop back to the ground. It felt like silk between her fingers and she sighed, repeating the motion a few more times. When she stood back up again, she was met by a pair of familiar arms wrapping tightly around her waist which were quickly followed by the feel soft kisses running up and down her neck. She melted back into him and tilted her neck to the side, feeling his lips trail a line up to her ear which he gently nibbled._

"_So this is where you ran off to," he whispered, continuing to kiss her neck area and rub his prickly beard against her soft skin._

_She tightened her arms over his and interlocked their fingers. "I saw the view from our room and just had to come out and see it for myself." She turned to look at him and smiled. "It's beautiful isn't it?"_

_Not once breaking their gaze, he looked right into her eyes and whispered, "Absolutely breathtaking." _

_She blushed at the true meaning behind his words. "I meant that," she said, indicating the setting sun and blue sea water with a nod of her head._

"_And I meant you. Because you are. Sometimes, I look at you and...I can't breathe. I feel my heart swell with all this emotion and my chest gets all tight and..." he trailed off as she turned and pressed a finger to his lips._

"_I know baby, I know." She rested her head against his for a moment before leaning in and touching his lips with hers. It was a sweet and gentle kiss but soon turned into a more passionate one when he opened his mouth to her, allowing her tongue to thrust in and play with his own. Breaking apart for air, he pulled her into a tight hug and they stood together on the beach, wrapped in each other's arms and watched the sun disappear behind the ocean. After a while, he looked down and broke the magical spell that had fallen over them._

"_You think maybe we could leave the beach house tonight? We've been here almost a week and I couldn't tell you a thing about this place."_

"_Sure we can. I even remember reading that leaflet we got when we arrived and it said something about a market about fifteen minutes from here, you know, up nearer the town?"_

"_Sounds perfect. But first, I'm taking you to dinner and then we can go shopping." He tugged at her hand and started leading her back up the short distance from their private beach to their beach house. As they were walking, she heard a little snicker escape from his lips._

"_What's so funny?"_

"_I just realised that we've practically been having sex for five days straight." He looked at her with a glint in his eye and a cocky smile. "Damn I'm good!"_

"_Hey Casanova, remember it takes two to tango baby! We're both good!" She bumped at his shoulder playfully. Before she knew what was happening, she had been flung over his shoulder and he began to run the rest of the way to the beach house with her kicking and screaming behind his back._

* * *

The catering area of the arena was empty bar a group of wrestlers seated around one table closest to the coffee machine. The group was made up of mostly younger wrestlers such as Ted Junior, Cody Rhodes, Kofi Kingston and Carlito. They appeared to be in a heated debate and Stephanie slipped in unnoticed. As she got closer to the table, she couldn't help but overhear the topic of their conversation and felt her anger bubble to the surface.

"I'm telling you guys, I get promised a push for staying here and it's been almost 4 months and nothing has happened. I don't think McMahon has a clue what he's doing these days. Pushing the same old guys in the main event, mainly his precious son-in-law, while the rest of us are working our asses off for what? To job every night and to be made fools of? I'm getting sick of it all," Carlito said angrily as he looked at the others for approval.

"I can't complain. I mean, I'm a tag-team champion and I get to learn from a vet like Bob Holly, you know," chipped in Cody.

"Yeah, man. And me and Kofi, well we're still really only developmental talents right now," added Ted.

"You guys just don't see it. Ted, Cody, we are all second generation superstars and we deserve better. We shouldn't have to job while "family" gets to bury the entire roster. It's a joke." He angrily slammed his hand against the table and was about to continue his tirade when he saw the jaws of the other three men collectively drop to the floor while their eyes practically popped out of their heads.

"What?" he asked angrily, noticing the subtle nod of Cody's head. He turned and was shocked to find none other than Stephanie McMahon herself standing right behind him. His face turned a deep shade of red and he knew that he had really put his foot in it this time. It was common knowledge amongst the boys in the back that he wasn't fond of the way the McMahon's ran things in the WWE but now he had ranted right in front of one. And not just any one, no it had to be the wife of the man he had just been badmouthing.

"Mrs. McMahon...I ah...I..."

"Save it. Keep your excuses to yourself because I don't want to hear them. And you might want to be more careful when you decide to start insulting my husband and my family because next time, it might not be me you run into," she said in a venomous tone before quickly leaving the area and heading straight back to the locker room. She marched down the halls with angry strides, the sound of her heels clacking against the cold ground like the ticking of a time bomb waiting to explode and that's exactly how she felt. She threw open the door and stormed inside, sitting down on the leather 

sofa with an angry thud. She heard the faint giggling of her daughter followed by her husband's voice from the bathroom door and looked up just as they entered the room. Paul smiled that wonderful smile of his when he saw her sitting there but even that couldn't quell her anger.

"The little lady here decided to get crayon all over her clothes but not to worry, daddy got it all off didn't he?" Paul turned his attention back to Aurora who was happily nodding her head "yes."

"Daddy get it off, daddy get it off." She noticed that her mother had returned back to the room and squealed happily. "Hi mommy."

Stephanie tried her best to look happy as she replied to her daughter but saw the knowing look on her husband's face. She could never keep anything from him. Paul walked over to the sofa and sat next to his wife. He set Aurora on the ground and she immediately went back to work on her picture, her focus no longer on her parents.

"What's wrong Steph? You're not looking too happy right now," he asked, turning to give her his full attention.

"It's nothing Paul. Just forget about it ok?" It was bad enough having to listen to the crap said about him never mind having to repeat it to his face.

"Stephanie," he said in that gentle tone that he saved just for her, "I'm not going to just forget about it. Whatever it is, it's upset you and therefore I want to know." He took her chin between his finger and thumb and made her look at him. "Talk to me."

"Paul, it's just...I overheard some people talking about you and it made me angry and..."

"And now you're all red in the face, chomping at the bit to get your hands on whoever said such horrible things right?" He sighed when he realised that humour was not going to work this time.

"Paul. It's not something to joke about. I get so sick of hearing people put you down because you work so hard and you don't deserve it. Especially people who have done nothing significant in this business yet feel entitled to everything."

"Steph, we knew it was gonna be like this right from the very start. And quite frankly, I really don't care what people have to say about me anymore. If they haven't figured out that I'm in this for the long haul then either they're incredibly slow, or they just don't want to accept it. The only thing that matters to me is that the people I care about know the truth. And they do so just let it go." He took her hand and traced small circles over her knuckles, relieved to finally see a smile appear on her face.

"How do you always know what to say to make me feel better, huh?"

"What can I say? It's a gift!" he replied with a cocky smile.

"Well you are a very gifted man in a number of areas you know," she teased.

"And what might those areas be," he asked, shifting a little closer to her on the couch.

"Why wrestling of course. And then there's the fatherhood area, you're pretty gifted in that too. And of course," she leaned in with a seductive smirk, "You're very gifted in the area of cheering me up." His face fell and she laughed. He was obviously expecting her to mention some "other" area of expertise.

"And..."

"And what? You want me to mention every single thing you're good at? I think you quite possibly could be ego-tripping right now babe."

"No, I just want you to mention a specific area that I must be gifted in otherwise we wouldn't have our lovely daughter to brag about." He grinned at her and she just laughed.

"You're not gonna let up until I say it are you?"

"Nope," he replied, shaking his head with the grin still in place.

"Fine then. You are without a doubt, the most gifted man in the entire world when it comes to certain bedroom activities. Happy now?"

He sighed and patted her knee. "Steph, Steph, Steph. I just love it when you stroke me." He chuckled when her eyes widened in shock. "My ego babe. I love it when you stroke my ego."

She looked at him knowingly and chuckled. "Sure you do."

_

* * *

_

The little market was packed with stalls of all varieties. The spicy scent mixed with the cool sea breeze to form and unusual but sweet smell as they wandered, hand in hand around the market. Stephanie sighed happily as she took in the atmosphere. There was Caribbean music in the background and the entire place was lit up by the soft glow of the burning torches. She glanced at her husband and sighed happily again. Her life could not be any more perfect than this. Than him. Just as she was thinking about how wonderful he was, Paul turned to her and smiled. Without a second thought, she reached up and pulled his head down to her and kissed him quite forcefully. Once he got over his initial surprise, he kissed her back with just as much passion and then reluctantly pulled away for air.

"_Not that I'm complaining but what was that for?" he asked, wrapping his arm around her and pulling her close to his body._

_Stephanie's eyes lit up as she snuggled into him and answered. "No reason. I just wanted to kiss you that's all."_

"_Ok then. Wanna kiss me again?" he asked hopefully, wiggling his eyebrows at her. She gave him a little grin before pecking him lightly on the lips._

"_There."_

"_There? There? I thought I was getting one like before," he pouted._

"_I know you did but we are in a public place remember."_

"_Didn't bother you before," he huffed, turning his head to the side but she could see the smile on his face and knew he was only messing around._

"_I just want to save all my kisses for later because trust me," she leaned up to whisper in his ear, "They're going to be a lot hotter and cover more areas than that last one did."_

_He looked down at her and was about to reply when he was cut off by a huge flower that was suddenly thrust into his face._

"_Flowers for de pretty lady sah. Yes, you should always give a pretty lady pretty flowers," said the little man as he prodded the flower further into Paul's face. He was dressed in ratty clothes and was carrying a huge basket of mixed flowers. Paul's initial anger at being attacked by the huge flower in his face wuickly disappeared when he saw the state of the man before him. Besides his ratty old clothes, he was very thin and didn't look healthy at all. He looked into the man's hopeful eyes and then into the big blue pools of his wife and saw the sadness there and knew that he was buying a flower off he guy whether he wanted to or not. He nodded his head and smiled at him._

"_Yes, she is a very pretty lady and for that reason I need your very best flower."_

_As the man excitedly looked into his basket, Stephanie gazed into Pauls eyes which were gazing right back at her. He mouthed those three little words that made her heart flutter, "I love you," before turning his attention back to the man who was pulling out a very pretty fuchsia and green coloured flower. It was unlike anything either Paul or Stephanie had ever seen and was very beautiful._

"_Dis pretty flower for your pretty lady sah?" He fingered the flower before he looked at Stephanie, then back to the flower almost in a daze. "Yes, pretty flower and pretty lady."_

"_I'll take it. How much?" Paul asked, pulling out his wallet._

"_You pay wid dolla sah. American dolla yes?"_

"_You want me to pay with dollars?" He was slightly confused as to why the man would want a different currency to his own. Quickly mulling it over in his head, he decided it was more than likely because he could exchange the dollars for more of the local currency and therefore get more money._

"_Yes, yes. Pay wid American dolla. Dolla is very good." _

_Stephanie watched on as Paul handed the man a 100 bill. His tired eyes immediately lit up when he realised what he held in his hand. He looked at Paul, fearful that he had made a mistake but Paul simply closed his fingers over the money and took the flower from the other hand._

"_Thank you sah. Thank you, thank you." He bowed several times before them, a look of astonishment on his face as he backed away, speaking loudly in his native tongue and swinging his basket back and _

_forth. Paul watched for a moment before looking back at his wife. He mimicked the man's accent as he handed the flower to her._

"_Pretty flower for my very pretty lad," he dropped the accent and stared right into her eyes, "My very pretty, beautiful, amazing, wonderful, sexy and absolutely perfect lady whom I love very, very much."_

_She said nothing as he swept his lips over hers, only pulling him back to her for a longer kiss when she felt him pulling back. As they broke apart, she caught his gaze again and kept her head close to his. "I think I'm going to wear this later on," she said, indicating the flower as she brought it to her head and tucked it behind her ear. He looked her over appreciatively and then gulped when she whispered, "only this." His body tingled at the thought of her with just the flower in her hair and all of a sudden he wanted nothing more than to get back to their beach house._

"_What' cha say we head back to the house?" he asked, not breaking eye contact._

"_I'd like nothing more," she replied and pulled him towards the exit of the market. It would always be here tomorrow if they wanted to come back. But right now, she wanted to get back to the beach house so she could "show off" her new flower._


	11. Let's Talk About Family

_A little boy with dark blonde hair and excited eyes pulled his mother through the grocery store when he saw his idol. Pushing past a group of people more interested in their shopping than his hero, the little boy looked back to make sure his mother was following and immediately bumped into a wall of solid muscle. His scared expression left his face once he saw the friendly smile looking down at him._

"_How you doin' down there little guy?" Paul asked, amused at the little figure that was still attached to his leg. He had seen him pulling his poor mother half-way across the store and realised that he was heading straight for him. He let go of Stephanie's hand and extended it down towards the little boy who had finally let go and was staring at him in amazement. Glancing at his wife, he smirked before crouching down to the same level as the boy and stuck his hand out again._

"_You gonna leave me waiting here all day before you shake my hand?" he joked and chuckled when the smaller hand was immediately thrust into his. "That's a good, strong hand shake you've got there..."_

"_Anthony. His name is Anthony and I'm terribly sorry about this," the boy's mother cut in, slightly out of breath as she caught up with her son._

"_Hey, it's no problem at all. I always have time for a fan. Especially one who drags his mother all over a grocery store just to see me." He smiled at the woman before extending his hand to her. "I'm...Triple H," he said, deciding to stick to his character so as not to spoil the little guy's experience, "And this is my wife Stephanie."_

"_I thought that you got divorced?" chirped in the high pitched voice of Anthony who was still in shock at the fact that he was standing there talking to his idol._

"_Can you keep a secret?"asked Paul, turning his attention back to the boy. At his enthusiastic nod he continued, "Well Anthony, Steph and I never really got divorced. We were always together but kept it a secret so that the evil Mr. McMahon would never find out." Stephanie's amused chuckle caused him to turn to her and he smiled, knowing that his little remark would crack her up. "But you can't tell anybody because then Vince might find out and we wouldn't want that would we?"_

"_No! But if he did find out, you would just beat him up anyway because you're the best," replied Anthony, smiling from ear to ear._

"_That's absolutely right. I would. Vince McMahon is no match for 'The Game', right Anthony?" he asked, looking subtly at his wife and smirking._

"_No way Triple H! You would kick his ass!"_

"_Anthony! Watch your language!" his mother scolded._

"_Sorry mom." He looked back up at Paul. "Can I have your autograph?" Anthony asked hopefully before looking shyly at Stephanie. "Can I have yours too please Miss. McMahon?"_

_Stephanie bit her lip to keep from laughing. How cute was he, calling her Miss. McMahon and if she wasn't mistaken, he was blushing too. "Sure you can Anthony. Do you have something there we can sign?"_

"_Sure I do!" He eagerly pulled down the zipper of his jacket to reveal a Triple H t-shirt._

"_Would you look at that? I gotta say man, that's a great looking shirt. But do you have a pen because I don't?"_

_Anthony looked at his mom with a sad look on his face as he realised that they didn't have a pen either. "No, I don't."_

_Paul saw the upset look on his face and smiled. "Don't worry little guy. We'll just look around here, find a sharpie and then I'll sign whatever you want me to sign, ok?"_

_Anthony's face broke into a huge grin as he nodded "yes" and went to walk along side Paul as they went in search of a pen. Stephanie smiled at his mother who walked beside her._

"_Thank you so much for doing this. Your husband's a very kind man and nothing like his character on TV. We watch RAW every Monday night and we've been to a couple of shows too. He's a really big fan and I just...thank you, and your husband for doing this. It's very kind of you."_

"_It's no problem really. And I'm glad that you guys are fans," Stephanie replied as they finally reached the aisle where Paul and Anthony had disappeared. She felt a tug on her heart as she watched them interact. Suddenly she had a vision of Paul standing there, laughing and joking with a little boy, his hair a sandy blonde colour. The little boy turned and his big hazel eyes looked up at her and he smiled happily, looking exactly like his father._

"_Are you alright?"_

_Stephanie returned to reality and looked at the woman beside her. Sure she had thought about having children with Paul before but the thought had never come to her so vividly and had never made her feel the way she was currently feeling. Maybe this meant something. Maybe this meant that, at least in her mind, they were ready for children. Smiling at the thought and getting an excited feeling in her stomach, Stephanie looked at the woman and assured her that she was fine._

"_MOM! Look, I got my shirt signed and I even get to keep the sharpie!" Anthony cut in, showing his mother the shirt that had been signed in gold pen and came with a personal message written out especially for him. "Miss. McMahon, will you sign it too?"_

"_Of course I will. Come here," Stephanie replied and took the pen, pulling the shirt taut before writing a personal inscription next to her husband's. "There you go. That'll give you something to tell your friends about later on."_

"_It sure will. They'll never believe that I got to meet you. Especially my dad because he was supposed to come shopping with us but he didn't want to and now he's missed you."_

"_Serves him right," piped in his mother with a cheeky smile on her face. "Anyway, thank you so much for doing this. You've probably just made his year never mind his day! We'll get going and let you get on with your shopping."_

"_Again, it was no problem and just make sure to watch RAW on Monday night alright Anthony?" Paul winked at him and chuckled when he winked back. He watched as they said their goodbye's and then turned to Stephanie. "Nice kid huh?"_

"_Yeah, he was a lil' cutie alright. Let's finish this shopping and get home. I want to talk to you about something," she said, taking his hand and leading him towards the juice aisle._

"_Is everything alright?" he asked concerned, stroking his thumb across her knuckles._

"_Everything's fine. I just don't want to talk about it in the middle of the juice aisle."_

"_Steph..."_

"_Nothing's wrong babe, so don't worry. You'll find out when we get home ok?"_

"_If you say so," he complied and pulled her close, giving her a soft kiss on the lips. She smiled and kissed him back, happy that he was letting it go until they got home. But with that thought, a nervous feeling crept over her. When they did get home, she was going to have to tell him what she was thinking about. What if he didn't want kids right now? What if he wanted to wait and focus more on his ever expanding career? Pushing those thoughts aside, she put on a brave face and decided to wait until they got home before she started to panic._

* * *

"There's my little girl!" boomed Vince as Aurora trotted into his office with Paul just behind. He stood up from his chair and immediately went to her, picking her up and kissing her soft hair.

"What has you here, huh? Did you come to see your pop?" asked Vince as he smiled at her, her hands coming to poke at the dimple in his chin like they always did every time he held her.

"I come to see pop," Aurora said with a big smile on her face. "Me and daddy come to see pop."

Vince turned his attention to Paul who was just standing there, looking at the both of them. "She found out that you were here and wanted to come and see you so I brought her. I hope you're not busy or anything."

Vince shook his head right away. "I'm never too busy for my grand-daughter. Is Stephanie with you?"

"Yeah she's back in the locker room going over some stuff."

"Well I was just about finished here so why don't we go to your locker room and sit for a while?"

Paul nodded and made a funny face at his daughter who was watching him as she sat perched on her grandfather's huge bicep. He heard her little chuckle as he turned and led them out of the room. As they walked down the corridor, they bumped into various wrestlers and even good old JR. They stopped to exchange pleasantries and Aurora tried to steal JR's hat. When she realised that she 

wasn't getting it, her bottom lip stuck out and Paul could see she was ready to start balling. As if on cue, a little whimper escaped her as her bottom lip trembled and that was quickly followed by the sound of her cries.

"Well damn, if she wants my hat so badly she can have it," said JR, chuckling at her little red face and clenched fists.

"No that's alright JR, you can keep it. She doesn't need it anyway do you baby," said Paul as he took her from Vince and felt her immediately begin to settle down. She grabbed onto his hair and snuggled her head into his neck.

"How come she settles down for you but she was crying with me?" Vince huffed.

"That would be because she loves me more than you," Paul replied, cheekily sticking out his tongue. "See you later JR." He turned and walked down towards his locker room with Vince hot on his heels, complaining that in actual fact, she loved _him_ more. Their little spat continued into the locker room until Stephanie heard the commotion and broke it up.

"What the hell are you two whining about now?" she asked, reaching over to take her daughter into her arms.

"Oh nothing. Your dad here was just having a hard time accepting the fact that Aurora loves me more than him, that's all." Paul smirked and sat down on the leather sofa.

"She does not! She loves her pop more than anybody else and that right there is a fact," Vince said adamantly as he sat down on the loveseat, glaring in Paul's direction.

"I don't know why you guys are even arguing over this. She loves her mommy the most, isn't that right sweetie?" Stephanie asked and was very pleased when her daughter backed up her argument.

"I love mommy most," she said quietly and lay her head on her mother's shoulder while Stephanie stuck her tongue out at both her husband and her father. She laughed when Paul shot out of his seated position in protest.

"What! I can't believe you just did that to me Aurora! I thought you loved daddy the most," he said incredulously as he looked at his daughter. His face turned into a gentle smile when he saw her eyes drooping and she uttered, "I love daddy most too," before she snuggled into her mother and closed her eyes, drifting into a peaceful slumber. Paul smiled and stroked her hair before chuckling at the betrayed look on Vince's face.

"She didn't say it for me because she fell asleep. You'll see. Once she wakes up, ask her and we'll all find out that she loves her pop the most," he protested.

Paul sat back down on the sofa and was smiled when Stephanie sat next to him, shuffling a little closer and resting Aurora between them. "So is Linda's birthday bash still on this weekend?" he asked, resting his hand on Stephanie's knee.

"It is indeed. You two have got the cake covered, Shane and Marissa are taking care of the guest list and I'm busy trying to distract her every time she mentions it," Vince replied. They were planning a 

big birthday bash for Linda this year as she was turning 60, just like the one Vince received when he turned 60. As the talk turned to party plans, the three family members just sat and enjoyed the company. It was seldom that they ever got time to just be a family whilst at work and so Paul, Stephanie and Vince, sat together and talked nonsense until it was time to go to work.

* * *

_Stephanie sighed and snuggled a little closer to her husband. The sound of explosions and gunfire could be heard from the movie that was playing on the TV but she wasn't paying attention. Instead she was still thinking about how to broach the subject of children. Should she just come out and say what was on her mind or try and give little hints towards it? Paul hadn't mentioned anything since they'd came home from shopping but she knew it was just a matter of time. He was giving her a chance to go first and if she didn't then he more than likely would. _

"_Steph?" _

_She gulped as she heard the tone of his voice. He was going to ask her now, she was sure of it. "Yes?" She lifted her head from his shoulder to look at his face._

"_What were you going to talk to me about when we were shopping? I've left it all day but you're not saying anything so..."_

_She sat up completely and took his hand, gently fiddling with his wedding ring. "I've just been a little nervous to talk about it that's all."_

"_Nervous to talk about what babe? You're seriously starting to scare me here." His hand gripped hers a little tighter and she looked into his eyes which were filled with concern. Knowing there was no way she could back out now, she decided to just say it and see what happened._

"_What do you think about us...trying for a baby?" She saw a look of shock flicker across his face before it spread into a huge smile. Her nerves immediately left her and she calmed down. _

"_You want to try for a baby?"_

"_Well, yeah. I mean, I've always thought about it and definitely had it planned for the future but recently I just...every time I see a mother and her child I just get this feeling in my chest and then today when I saw you with that little boy in the store, I thought of you standing there with __**our**__ son and..." She stopped talking when his hands framed her face, his eyes boring into hers, smile still in place._

"_I've thought about it too. Actually I think about it all the time. You're the only woman in the world that I would want to be the mother of my child, Stephanie. Only you."_

_Her eyes welled with tears and she shifted closer to him, her hand resting on his cheek. "Are we really gonna do this then?"_

"_I certainly hope so. I can't wait to be a father. And the best part is that I get to do it all with you," he said, inching his face closer to hers. "I love you Steph," he whispered against her lips before pressing them softly against hers. His arms came around her and he pulled her close, feeling her tongue trace _

_his bottom lip. He opened his mouth, letting it enter and thrust his own out to meet it. Without warning, he placed his hands on her hips and quickly pulled her onto his lap, his lips moving to her neck. _

"_You wanna know what the second best part is?" he mumbled against her skin._

"_What is it?" she said breathlessly, his hot breath tickling her ear._

"_That we get to have all this fun trying." She felt his smirk on her skin and pulled his lips back to hers._

"_I couldn't agree more," she said, their lips barely touching._

"_Good. Now that we've got that out of the way, we can get started on making this baby." Before she had a chance to respond, his lips came crashing down on hers and his tongue sought immediate entrance to her mouth. She parted her lips willingly, eager to taste him. His hands skimmed up her hips before he gripped the hem of her pyjama top and pulled it over her head. He moved his lips to her neck and lower to the tops of her breasts. She felt his hands at her back as he unhooked her bra, letting it fall to the floor. She let her head fall back and moaned in pleasure when he flicked his tongue over her heaving breasts. Her hands tugged at his t-shirt and she pulled it over his head, his chest now bare. Pulling his lips back to hers, she rubbed her body against him and felt his arousal press against her thigh. He sank into the soft cushions of the sofa and pulled her with him, her body sprawled on top of his. He caught her eye and saw the look on her face, a look of love mixed with desire. He quickly pulled her face down to his level and kissed her hard, his need for her overcoming every other emotion in his body. She responded in kind, losing herself in the pleasure only he could give to her and happy in the knowledge that they could be creating a new life together._


	12. Pregnant

_The Christmas tree lights twinkled in the darkness; the tiny coloured specks the only source of light in the room. The dying fire snapped and sparked in the background while two figures sat in front of its warmth. Stephanie watched her sleeping husband and smiled as he shuffled in his sleep, his head slipping from her shoulder to fall into her lap, his hand resting gently on her knee. The movement didn't wake him but that didn't surprise her, he could sleep through a rock concert without blinking an eye. She started to play with his hair, twirling the blonde strands through her fingers and she started to think about when she was going to tell him. Christmas was just a week and half away but she couldn't wait that long, it was driving her crazy. A huge smile came across her face as she thought about her news, news that would change their lives forever. Her other hand absentmindedly came down to gently rub her stomach. She let out an excited chuckle when she realised what she was doing. She honestly felt like waking him up and telling him right now but the other part of her wanted to let him sleep. Reminding herself that patience was a virtue, she lifted her glass of water and took a sip before cuddling into her sleeping husband as best she could and drifting into a peaceful slumber._"Why Declan don't play with me daddy?" Aurora pouted, her eyes as big as saucers and on the verge of tears as she looked at her father.

* * *

Paul couldn't help but chuckle at her question. She had been chasing her cousin for the past twenty minutes trying to get him to play dolls with her but he wasn't interested. Instead, he was more into playing with his wrestling figures and was having a grand old time sitting in the garden with his replica wrestling ring. If Paul wasn't mistaken, Monday Night Raw was just about to start and Declan was ready to start his show. Turning his attention back to his daughter, he kissed her cheek and replied, "That's because he's a boy and doesn't want to play with girl's toys. You wouldn't like to play with guns and ninja's and stuff would you?"

"No," she replied, a thoughtful look coming over her face. "But who will play with me now?"

"I don't know. How about you go and watch the movie with Aunt Marissa and Kenyon? Would you like to do that?"

"What movie is it?" She held up her arms and Paul picked her up, walking in the direction of the house.

"I'm not sure baby. We'll find out in a minute though." He continued on into the house until he reached the theatre area. Walking inside, he noticed Kenyon sitting on his mother's lap, happily watching the huge screen in front of him. "Hey look, it's Nemo. You wanna watch it?"

Marissa looked up at the sound of his voice and smiled at them. "What brings you guys here?"

"Well the little lady right here was upset that her big cousin wouldn't play dolls with her so she decided to come and watch the movie." He walked over and sat down on the couch next to Marissa. "You can go and I'll stay here with these two," he said and patted little Kenyon on the head.

Marissa looked at him and smiled gratefully. She had been in here for the past hour or so and was missing the party. "Are you sure? I can stay if you want."

"Yeah, I'm sure. You've been on babysitting duty long enough." He reached over and lifted Kenyon, placing him on his lap. "Woah little guy, you're getting heavy." He smiled at him and was rewarded with a smile from little Kenyon who reached up to pat his face. "Unc Pa," he babbled to the delight of both Paul and Marissa.

"Did you hear that? He's starting to say my name now, how cool!" He beamed at Marissa who was now standing, smiling happily at her son as he turned back to watch the movie.

"Thanks Paul, see you later. You too Aurora, bye." She gave a little wave as she walked out of the room to join the party in the garden.

"Bye Aunt Rissa," called Aurora, watching her leave the room. She turned to look at her father and cuddled into his side, hugging his arm. When she got comfortable, she joined her father and her cousin and watched the movie.

Stephanie searched the small crowd of people in the garden. Declan was lying on the grass with her dad playing with his figures. She laughed at the sight of her father playing with the figures of 'John Cena' and 'Edge' while Declan had 'Shawn Michaels' and his very own uncle 'Triple H'. He really was a big kid but that could be said for all of the men in the family. Both Paul and Shane were exactly the same and there had been numerous times when she had caught all three of them, playing with the figures with Declan. Her eyes travelled to the huge table on the patio where several of her family members and family friends were seated. She spotted her mother talking to Shane, Marissa and her uncle but there was no sign of her husband or her daughter. Walking inside the house, she heard faint noises coming from down the hall. She followed them to the theatre room and quietly opened the door to find her husband, her daughter and her nephew all cuddled together on the giant red sofa watching 'The Lion King.' She smiled as she approached them and noticed that Kenyon was asleep while Aurora was wide awake, her eyes focused on the huge screen.

"So this is where you disappeared to?" she said, noticing Paul jump slightly. Luckily Kenyon didn't wake up.

Paul turned his head to find his wife making her way towards them. She sat down next to Aurora and gently stroked her daughter's hair.

"Hi mommy. We watched Nemo and now we're watching 'The Lion King.'" She said, her eyes breaking from the movie as she looked at her mother.

"That's great sweetie," she smiled and kissed her head.

"You miss me?" Paul asked with a cheeky grin on his face.

"Of course I did. I can't survive without you Paul, didn't you know that?" she joked, settling back into the soft cushions. She looked at Kenyon who was sprawled on Paul's lap, his little head turned towards her, hand in his mouth as he slept. It was a beautiful sight and one she hadn't seen in a 

while. After all, Aurora was almost three now while Kenyon was still a baby. She wouldn't mind having another one soon.

"That's ok Steph. I know you can't live without me." His voice broke her thoughts and she turned her attention back to him. Just as she was about to respond she was cut off by her daughter.

"Shhhhh, I'm trying to watch the movie," she said. Not once taking her eyes from the screen.

Paul and Stephanie looked at each other before they burst out laughing, trying to keep quiet so as not to wake Kenyon.

"Who says you get to hand out orders, huh missy?" asked Paul as he tugged lightly on her hair.

"Daddy! Don't pull hair! I wanna watch the movie!" she said again, swatting his hand away from her head.

Paul looked at Stephanie and raised his eyebrows, shocked at his daughter's little outburst. "Looks like she's taking after you with all this bossiness!"

Stephanie went to reply and again she was interrupted by her daughter who this time, was pulling on her top. "Mommy, tell daddy to shhhhhh, I wanna watch the movie."

Stephanie looked at Paul and put on a stern voice. "Paul, stop annoying your daughter and let her watch the movie." He just scrunched up his face and stuck out his tongue, making her laugh softly. Despite her pleas to get her father to shut up, Aurora still held on to his arm and Stephanie shifted closer, wrapping her arm around her daughter and taking Paul's hand into hers. Their fingers intertwined and rested on Aurora's leg. Aurora looked down and saw her parents hand's on her leg. She looked up at both of them and saw that their attention was on the screen. She smiled before resting her own hand on top of their joined ones and settling in to watch the movie.

* * *

_Stephanie came out of the bathroom and stood in front of her husband. It was just after midnight and everyone in the family had decided to get some rest before the Christmas celebrations in the morning. But Stephanie had a private celebration of her own planned for tonight and was now ready to set it in motion._

"_Paul," she called gently, diverting her husband's attention away from the television screen. _

_He shifted from his sprawled out position on the bed and sat up straighter. "Yes?"_

"_I know that we are opening the gifts tomorrow and all but there's something that I want you to open tonight."_

_He looked her up and down, taking in her beauty as she stood in a very short red silk robe. He smiled as he thought about her gift. She obviously went into the bathroom to change into it. "Well come on over here and let me 'open' this gift of yours." _

_His smile turned into a cheeky grin and she immediately knew what he had in mind. Chuckling at his eagerness, she took a small card from her overnight bag before joining him on the bed. "Get your _

_mind outta' the gutter babe," she said, smacking him lightly on the head with the card. "Your gift is actually something else and I think you'll like it a hell of a lot better."_

"_What else could I possibly like more than the sight of you in all your glory?" He said, trying to sneak a peek inside her robe._

"_Why don't you open it and find out?" She handed him the card and waited anxiously to see his reaction._

"_You got me a card?" he deadpanned although she could see the twinkle in his eye. _

"_Stop messing and open it will you?" She watched as he pulled back the flap of the envelope and gently tugged at the card. He set the envelope on the bed before turning the card the right way round and began to read it._

_His eyes went wide as he stared at the little picture of a stork, flying through the snowy sky with a Santa hat on its head. Hanging from the stork's mouth was a little baby, tightly bundled up against the winter weather. There was nothing else on the front of the card and he opened it up, his breath catching as he read the message on the inside. _

"_The gift of a child is the greatest gift of all..."_

_His watery eyes looked into hers and he reached for her, pulling her right next to him. She reached up and stroked his cheek. His huge smile was infectious and she smiled back at him. "Aren't you going to say anything?"_

"_I'm speechless." He looked back at the card and his finger traced the picture of the little baby on the front. "I actually don't know what to say." Suddenly he pulled her into a great big hug. She nestled her head in his neck and wrapped her arms around him tightly. "Thank you," she heard him whisper into her ear. She pulled back and saw the raw emotion written all over his face. _

"_I love you," he said, his hand coming round to palm to her waist. He knelt before her and kissed her stomach. "And I love you too," he whispered, directing his comments at their unborn child. Stephanie felt tears spring to her eyes at the tenderness of his actions. His hands framed her face and he stood before joining her on the bed. "This is the best Christmas present I've ever received."_

"_Me too. I only found out a few days ago but I wanted to surprise you so I waited." She paused for a moment and took his hand. "Can you believe that we're actually going to be parents?"_

_Her question left him with a fuzzy feeling inside his chest and he moved to lie back on the bed, pulling her with him. "I can't wait. I can't wait to see our child being born. I can't wait to hear their first word, or see their first step. God, Steph, our child is growing inside you right now!" His pushed his hands inside her robe and rested them on her bare stomach, gently stroking his fingers over her skin. _

_She laughed at his excited tone and brought her hands to join his, softly interlocking their fingers._

"_It's amazing isn't it? We created something so special Steph."_

"_It is amazing. I can't wait either. But, I don't want to know the sex. I want to wait and be surprised._

_He nodded his head in agreement. "Me too although it'll probably drive me crazy not knowing. Hey, we've got to think of names now too. You have any in mind? Oh, we'll have to tell everybody as well but I guess we can do that tomorrow because everyone will be there."_

"_Slow down babe," she chuckled. "We'll tell everyone tomorrow and no, I haven't thought of names. I want us to do that together."_

_He tightened his arms around her waist and settled in behind her body. "I love our baby so much already and I've only known about them for five minutes at the most."_

"_I know what you mean. Although I've known for a few days so technically that means I love them more than you," she joked and laughed as his fingers dug into her sides._

"_How the hell am I supposed to top this? I mean, I thought I did pretty well with your gift this year. In fact, I was damn sure proud of myself but now, my gift's going to totally suck when you get it tomorrow."_

"_Well I'm sorry babe but there are just some things that money can't buy and that men can't provide, you know."_

"_Excuse me missy. It takes two to tango. I did half the work here. After all, it was my little guys that had to swim all the way into unchartered territory."_

_She laughed out loud at his silly comments. "Your little guys huh? Is that what you call them?_

"_Well, what else do you want me to call them? He brought their joined hands back to her stomach and pulled her close._

"_I'm not having this conversation with you Paul. I have no idea what men call their 'little guys' and I have no intention of finding out," she chuckled. "You're such a goofball sometimes baby, but I love you all the same."_

"_You hear that little one, your mom is calling your dad a goofball. What'cha think about that?"_

"_No comment. Seriously though, I can't wait to tell my parents. They're gonna be over the moon. So will your mom. She's gonna have a fit when you tell her..."_


	13. Birth

_Stephanie struggled to get up from her seated position on the couch. After a few attempts, she finally made it to her feet and started the long waddle to the kitchen. She rested her hands on her huge belly and spoke softly to the unborn inside._

"_I wish you would hurry up and make an appearance, you know. I don't think I can take much more of this," she said, palming her bump. _

"_Stephanie! It's starting!" called Linda who was on the sofa in the living room, watching the pyro as RAW kicked off._

"_I'm coming, I'm coming." She lifted her bottle of water and headed back to the living room. About half way there, the strangest feeling shot from her stomach, all the way down to her toes. She stopped dead in her tracks when she felt the wet sensation running down her legs. "Oh my god!" she whispered, not believing what had just happened. "Oh my GOD! Mom! Mom!" she called excitedly, looking down at the water pooled at her feet. _

_Linda came rushing to her, worried that something had happened to her very pregnant daughter. "What is it? Are you OK?"_

"_My water just broke," Stephanie winced, now feeling a burning sensation in her gut. She held on to the door frame and breathed evenly, trying to calm down._

"_Right, we're going to the hospital. Where are the bags?" Linda asked calmly, taking her daughter's arm and leading her slowly towards the front door. She paused to switch off the TV before continuing to the door._

"_They're at the door. Paul set them there before he left yesterday. Oh god, Paul. I have to call him, mom, I have to..."_

"_First things first, you need to get to the hospital. Then we'll call Paul. Now let's get a move on. You don't want to give birth in a car do you?" Linda rationalised, trying her best to get Stephanie moving._

"_God no! I'm moving as fast as I can here." She grit her teeth and picked up the pace. They finally reached the car and she struggled inside. Linda hopped into the driver's seat and took off, the car practically flying down the road._

"_I know you want to get us there quickly and all but I don't want to die before we even reach the damn hospital. Slow down, mom. I'm not in that much pain," Stephanie said, her hands gripping her seat belt for dear life._

_Linda glanced at her daughter and smiled sheepishly. "I'm sorry. I'm just so excited that's all. I can't believe my baby girl is going to have a baby of her own." Her eyes began to well up and she wiped at them with the back of her hand._

_Stephanie looked at her mother and felt her own eyes tearing up. "I'm going to call Paul now. He needs to know as soon as possible so he can make it on time," she said, reaching inside the bag and taking out her cell phone. She punched in number one on her speed dial and waited anxiously for her husband to answer the phone._

_The backstage area of the arena was chaotic, as per usual for Monday Night Raw. Paul joined his father in-law at the gorilla position. The show was just about ready to begin and the ten second countdown had already started. He opened the flap of his cell phone and snapped it shut again, repeating the motion over and over again until Vince looked at him. He mumbled a quiet "sorry" before walking away from the area. Suddenly the pyro exploded and he jumped, the loud bangs playing with his nerves. He began to pace up and down, wondering how his wife was and what she was doing. Probably watching the show right about now he thought to himself. He felt a tingling sensation in his hand and glanced down. His cell phone was vibrating and as her name flashed across the screen, his stomach flipped. Somehow he knew that this was it. He quickly snapped open the phone and pressed it to his ear, poking his finger in his other one to block out the noise of 15,000 screaming fans going crazy just a few feet away._

"_I was just thinking about you," he uttered, walking away from the noise and headed towards the more secluded hallway._

"_Paul! I'm on my way to the hospital; my water broke about ten minutes ago."_

_Even though he had felt that this was it, her saying it made it seem that much more real. Their baby was on the way. What the hell was he doing still standing here? He ran back to the gorilla position and talked to her at the same time._

"_Oh god! Are you alright? You're not in pain or anything? I'm grabbing your dad and we'll be on the jet in about twenty minutes."_

"_I'm fine baby. Just hurry OK. I don't wanna do this without you," she said softly and then chuckled when she heard her father's rather loud "WHAT?" down the phone. She listened on as Paul told him to "hurry the hell up" or he was leaving without him._

"_I don't want you to either. You better hold that kid in, I'm tellin' ya," he said, practically pulling Vince away from the monitor. He saw the bewildered faces of several superstars and management around him and knew that they were freaking out. With Vince gone, things were usually even more chaotic but right now he didn't care. He just needed to get to his wife._

___Stephanie relaxed in the hospital bed. They had been here for a little over two hours now. As soon as they had arrived at the hospital, they had been ushered to their private room and now they sat, anxiously waiting for the phone call to tell them their other halves were on the way. A fierce pain gripped her stomach and she instantly grabbed the rails on either side of the bed. Linda heard her daughter's sharp intake of breath and immediately sat up, reaching over to take her hand and comfort her._

"_Another one? They're coming much closer together now."_

_Stephanie looked at Linda with a pained expression on her face. At first, the contractions were nothing more than a little flutter in her abdomen. But very quickly they had turned into a contracting vice like grip deep in her stomach. She was getting to the stage where some medical help wouldn't be _

_ignored. God, how she wished Paul was here. He would be able to comfort her like no one else in this world could. She hoped to God that his plane had landed and that he was on his way. She didn't think she could last much longer without him._

"_Just remember your breathing Steph and try to stay calm OK?" said Linda. She had been through this before, twice. She knew exactly what her daughter was going through. The first one was always the hardest. She subtly glanced at her watch and wondered what was taking Paul and Vince so long. They should have been here by now. The show was only an hour away by plane so something was holding them up._

"_Finally, that one's over. They're definitely getting a lot stronger now. The next time the nurse comes in, I think I'll ask for 'some of the good stuff' as Paul likes to call it." She smiled at the mention of her husband's name. Reaching for her cell phone on the table beside the bed, she was just about to punch in his number when the door to the room was flung open and a very haggard looking Paul burst through. He immediately rushed to her bedside and took her hand, frantically looking her over._

"_Jesus Steph...I'm so sorry...we had to wait for...clearance for the plane," he paused to catch his breath. Sprinting from the hospital entrance all the way to the maternity ward was no easy feat. His concerned eyes landed on her bump and he gently ran his hand over it. "Everything's OK though, right? There's no problems or anything like that."_

"_I'm fine babe, we're both fine. I'm just glad you're here," she said as she pulled him into a tight hug, closing her eyes and breathing him in. She felt much better just knowing that he was here and that they would be doing this together. They pulled away and he gently kissed her lips before leaning down to kiss her belly. His big hand spread out over her bump and he spoke softly to their unborn._

"_Thought you were gonna pop out of there without me kiddo'," he joked. He lifted his head and saw Linda sitting in the chair just behind him. "Linda! I didn't even see you sitting there."_

_Linda just smiled at her son-in-law. "That's OK Paul. I think I can forgive you for forgetting your manners this time. Where is Vince?"_

"_He's parking the car. I couldn't wait so I got out at the door and ran here..." he trailed off, blushing slightly at the huge smile that adorned both Linda and his wife's face._

"_You ran all the way from the entrance?" Stephanie asked, taking his hand._

"_Well yeah. I didn't want to miss anything you know? I never would've been able to forgive myself if I missed the birth of our child, Steph."_

_Her eyes locked onto his and she tugged his hand, pulling him closer to her. "I love you, you know."_

_Linda smiled at them and realising that they probably wanted a private moment, she stood and headed for the door. "I'm just going to find your father," she said quietly and slipped outside._

_Paul didn't even hear her leave. His full attention was on his wife who was pulling him closer still. Her hand rested at the back of his head and she pulled his lips to hers. "I love you too," he whispered and kissed her softly. As they broke apart, he felt tears springing to his eyes. Emotionally, he was all over the place. The entire plane ride, he was absolutely terrified that he would miss the birth or that _

_something would go wrong. Now that he was finally here and could see that Stephanie and the baby were fine, his fear was replaced with excitement at the fact that their baby was almost here and then fear again at the thought of being totally responsible for someone else, someone else that he created._

"_I see you finally made it."_

_Both Paul and Stephanie turned at the sound of Dr. Wilkes voice. She entered the room and came to stand at the other side of Stephanie's bed. Realising that she was talking to him, Paul chuckled and replied. "I wouldn't miss this for the world."_

_A warm smile spread across the older ladies face and she smiled at the couple. "So, I think it's time we checked how dilated you are, Stephanie. And I know how inseparable you guys are and all but maybe you'd like to go for some coffee, Paul?" she suggested. From her experience, most husbands were not very good with this part of the process and she kindly offered him a way out._

_Paul looked at his wife and was about to refuse when Stephanie spoke for him. "That would be great Dr. Wilkes. And while you're at it, maybe you could get me some ice chips?"_

"_Why do I get the feeling that you're trying to get rid of me?" he asked, suspiciously raising an eyebrow while he got to his feet._

"_Well, I know how easily you gag Paul and I don't particularly want you being sick all over the place." Stephanie said cheekily, winking at Dr. Wilkes who simply shook her head in response. _

"_Why the hell would I be..." he trailed off before a look of realisation crossed his face. "I think I'll just...go and get that coffee." He smiled nervously before quickly making his way out of the room._

_Stephanie simply laughed at him. "He's such a wimp sometimes, I swear! Ask him to get hit in the head with barbed wire and its yes all the way, but ask him to stay here and watch this and he runs away! I don't know how he's gonna cope later when the baby actually comes out!"_

"_Men, Stephanie. Tough on the outside when they're really just big softie's on the inside. Anyway, why don't you just lie on your side and we'll get started."_

* * *

Aurora tugged on her father's hand, trying to pull him towards the huge bouncy castle just a few feet away. Her eyes were wide with excitement and she was very eager to get there so she could get on it. She looked up and saw that her dad was still chatting away to her mom and frowned.

"Daddy!" she cried, trying to get his attention.

Paul looked down at his daughter's sad little face and immediately crouched down beside her. "What's the matter Princess?"

"I wanna get on that," she said, pointing to the bouncy castle. Her hopeful eyes looked up at him and he felt a tug at his heart. He could never say no to her when she did that face. He looked at Stephanie who simply nodded and began walking in the direction of the castle. He smiled and watched as her little face lit up. "Come on then, let's go."

The trio made their way through the small crowd until they reached the line for the castle. There were only about 3 other kids in front of them. As they stood in the line, Paul glanced around him. The small fair came to Nashua every year and they decided to bring Aurora this year as she was finally old enough to get on things. Thankfully, it was later in the day and not that many people were there. The occasional person came and asked for an autograph and he got stared at everywhere they went but most people were respectful enough to realise that he was with his family and probably wanted to be left alone. The gentle pull of his daughter's hand shook him from his thoughts and he watched as the other kids were coming out of the exit gate.

"Mommy! Daddy! Look it's my turn," Aurora said excitedly. She began pulling on his hand again as the line started to move. They reached the gate and he paid the young attendant before following his wife and daughter over to the "Shoe Area," where Stephanie was helping Aurora remove her little boots.

"Can I get on now?" she asked hopefully, glancing between her parents.

"You sure can." Paul smiled and watched as she ran over and tried to climb up the front. He looked at his wife and they both chuckled. She was too small to get her leg over the top. They both made a move to go and help and Paul reached out and touched her arm. "I'll go." Stephanie stood back and went to the parent's waiting area. She smiled and watched on, laughing as her daughter still tried to get on. Paul came behind her and lifted her up, setting her down gently on the bouncy surface. He stood for a minute, making sure that she had her bearings before making his way to the waiting area.

"She's a determined little thing. She was trying so damn hard to get up there," he said, coming to stand just beside his wife.

Stephanie smiled and reached for his hand. "Well, look who she has for parents." She looked at him and saw the proud look on his face.

"Yeah, I can't blame her there. It's in her genes."

"You got that right."

They both fell silent and watched their daughter. She was busy bouncing and chatting away to the little girl she had obviously made friends with. She wasn't shy that was for sure. No matter where they went, she always managed to make friends with somebody. Stephanie continued to watch until she felt that someone was watching her and turned to find Paul, staring at her with a gentle smile on his face.

"What?" she asked softly, bumping her shoulder into his.

"Nothing, it's just, sometimes she really looks like you and it just...I don't know... I get this funny feeling. A good feeling though, if you know what I mean."

"Strangely enough, I think I do know what you mean."

"Good," he smiled at her happily, "I'm not talking like I'm crazy then."

"Well, you are crazy baby. A good kinda crazy though. If you know what I mean?" she winked and bumped his shoulder again and laughed when he wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her close, kissing her hair.

"You know that makes you even worse right? I mean, you already know that I'm crazy yet you stay married to me and mother my child." He smiled smugly, thinking that he had her caught out and was pleasantly surprised when her felt her lips against his. She kissed him softly before pulling back and looking into his eyes. His smug smile returned and he shook his head. "You're such a cheater. You have no comeback so you try to distract me with your kisses instead. Well I can tell right now that it's not going to wor..."

She kissed him again and smiled against his lips when she felt him respond to her. As they broke apart, it was her turn to smile smugly and she reached up to play with the collar of his shirt.

"Damn woman. You'll be the death of me, you know that?" He smiled in spite of himself and leaned in for another when the loud whistle stopped him. They turned to find the attendant shouting "Time up." As they walked towards their daughter, Paul whispered in her ear. "I hope we can return to this later tonight."

Stephanie smiled slyly in his direction and whispered back, "I most certainly hope so."

* * *

"_OK Steph, breathe, just breath OK?"_

_The sounds of Stephanie's wails and the pained expression on her face had Paul wishing that their kid would just pop out already. He couldn't stand to see her like this._

"_I'm breathing...Oh God...is anything happening yet?" she looked down at the doctor with hopeful eyes._

"_Yes Stephanie, we can almost see the head. Keep pushing!" barked Doctor Wilkes, wanting to keep things going._

_Stephanie squeezed Paul's hand again, letting out a long groan as she pushed with all her might. Despite the fact that Paul could no longer feel his hand, he was determined to keep coaching his wife through this. "That's it baby, you're doing great." _

"_We've got the head! OK Mrs. Levesque, a few more big pushes," said the mid-wife, cradling the tiny head in her hands._

"_Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh...oh God!" she screamed, bearing down hard and pushing with everything in her. She was absolutely exhausted. As she pushed again, she suddenly felt a huge weight drift from her body. She collapsed back onto the bed, completely spent and closed her eyes. They quickly flew open again with the most wonderful sound of her newborn's cries filling the room._

"_Jesus! Steph, we've got a girl. We've got a baby girl, oh my God!" Paul's excited voice carried from the end of the bed where he was watching the doctors and nurses expertly cleaning their new born. He came back up to her end of the bed and his huge smile was contagious, causing her to smile too. _

_His hand swept across her sweaty forehead and he kissed her there softly, his hand coming down to palm her cheek. "I'm so damn proud of you, Steph. I love you so much," he said sincerely, his eyes full of emotion and a little bit watery._

"_I love you too," she whispered and pulled him down for a quick kiss. They broke apart and looked to the foot of the bed to see the nurse walking towards them, a little pink bundle in her arms._

"_Who wants to hold her first?" she smiled, looking down at the cute baby girl tightly bundled up in the pink blanket._

_Paul looked at Stephanie and smiled, "You did all the work, you take her first." The nurse smiled again and gently placed the baby in her open arms. She felt the tears well in her eyes as she looked down at her daughter. _

"_My God! I can't believe it Paul, look at her." She looked at her husband and saw that he was smiling gently at their daughter, his finger softly stroking her little cheek. His hand was bigger than her head and she just couldn't get over how small she looked._

"_She's a wonderful little thing isn't she? Who do you think she looks like?" he asked, moving his finger to her hand. They both gasped in surprise when her little hand wrapped around it and she sighed contently, snuggling into her mother's embrace. Paul looked at her and wiped away the tear that fell from his eye. "This is a perfect moment. An absolutely perfect moment," he whispered, shuffling closer to Stephanie on the bed and wrapping his arm around her. _


	14. Family Life

_Stephanie lazily stretched her tired limbs. She reached into the darkness, expecting to find her husband sleeping soundly beside her but her hand met nothing. She sat up and glanced around the room, looking for her absent husband and still found nothing. Chucking the covers off her body, she stood and was just about to check the bathroom when she heard his gentle voice over the baby monitor. She smiled to herself. He was obviously in their daughter's room and was having a semi-conversation with himself considering their ten week old baby couldn't talk yet. She pulled on her robe and made her way down their spacious hall and stopped at the open door to her daughter's room. The sight before her made her heart melt and she felt a huge swell of emotion rush through her body. She leaned against the doorframe, content to just stand there and watch her husband interact with their child. He was lying on the soft carpeted floor with a cushion tucked under his head. Aurora lay sprawled across his chest, her tiny fingers playing with his hair as she babbled and cooed every now and then at whatever her father said. Paul's hand ran up and down her tiny back in a soothing manner and he gently bounced her up and down with the other. He was telling her all about the WWE._

"_You could be absolutely anything you know. Ring announcer, time keeper, valet, camera person. Head of creative just like your mommy...head of media just like your uncle, or, the best WWE superstar ever. That's right, EVER! Just like your daddy. I'd probably cry like you do when you don't get fed on time if I ever saw you in a wrestling ring._

_Stephanie chuckled silently at his little speech. He probably wasn't aware of it, but he really was lying on the floor talking to himself._

"_But you don't have to be a part of the family business if you don't want. Your mom and I, well, we won't force you. Your grandpa on the other hand, now that's a different story. But I'll just beat him up if he tries anything so you don't need to worry. He'll probably be senile by that stage anyway. Hell, he already is! Don't you tell anybody I said that though, you hear? You'll get your daddy in trouble."_

_This time, she couldn't hold in her laughter and her soft chuckle echoed across the room. He turned his head and a smile graced his features when he saw her standing there._

"_Well now, Aurora. Look whose come to see us. It's mommy." He lifted his hand from Aurora's back and motioned for Stephanie to join them. As she got closer, she realised that her daughter's little eyes were closed and that she had fallen asleep. She got down on the floor and lay down beside them, resting her head on the pillow next to him._

"_I hate to tell you this but I think you've put her to sleep with your dull and boring conversation." She let out a chuckle when she felt his elbow nudge her arm._

"_If you're just going to come here and insult us then you can leave," he huffed._

"_I'm not insulting the both of you. Just you baby," she said, reaching up to stroke the soft hair that was growing very quickly on her daughter's head. "I could never insult our little girl. She's too perfect." She felt his warm breath on her cheek as he turned his head to face her._

"_And I'm not?"_

_She too turned her head and their noses were practically rubbing together when she answered. "Nobody's perfect," she smirked, expecting a smart remark in return but it never came._

"_Except you." His whispered voice and the sincerity of his words brought a gentle smile to her face and she moved her head closer to his, kissing him softly. "And our little girl of course," he said as they pulled away._

"_Of course," she nodded in agreement._

"_I still don't get a mention?" he asked, a pretend incredulous look on his face._

"_Alright! You're perfect too! We're all perfect! Happy now?"_

"_Awww, thanks babe!" he grinned, giving her a quick peck on the lips. "Think we can put her back in her crib?"_

_Stephanie gave Aurora a slight nudge to make sure she was in a deep enough sleep to be moved to her crib. "Yeah. I'll get up and then lift her OK? Saves you trying to stand up without waking her," she said, shifting her head off the pillow and getting to her feet. She reached down and gently lifted her tiny daughter into her arms, pressing a kiss to her head before placing her inside her crib. Paul joined her and pulled the little blanket up around her small frame. Both parents stood for a minute, checking to see if their daughter was fully asleep before leaving and heading back to their own room._

_Stephanie just about walked through the door when she felt him press up against her, his lips on her neck. She closed her eyes and sighed, tilting her head to the side and gasped when he began to kiss and suck at her sweet spot. His left hand was inching up her stomach and further, to her breast which he squeezed softly through the silky material of her pyjama top. She turned her head and sought out his lips, kissing him eagerly. His hand moved back to her waist and he spun her around, kissing her back, letting his tongue steal into her mouth. She moaned as they broke apart and his lips moved back to her neck._

"_If this was all a ploy to get me to have sex with you...you could have just asked," she breathed as his lips made a burning trail up to her ear._

"_It wasn't but...if you want to put it that way..."He pulled away from her ear and looked into her eyes. "Will you have sex with me?" he asked with that cheeky smile on his face._

_She chucked at his goofy expression and pulled him towards the bed, pushing him onto it and straddling his lap. She felt his hardness pressing against her through their clothing and tingled of pleasure shot throughout her body. She leaned down and kissed him hard, her hands running up and down his firm, bare chest. She pulled at his bottom lip as she broke their kiss._

"_Does this answer your question?" she asked with a wicked twinkle in her eye._

"_No. I think I need a little more...description," he answered with the same twinkle in his._

_She smirked at his answer and began a trail of kisses down his chest toward his abdomen. When she reached his naval, she stopped and asked him again. "How about this?"_

"_It's close but, I'm still not quite getting it," he teased._

_She moved her hands to his hips and slowly pulled his boxer briefs down his legs. "What about now," she whispered seductively, moving in for the kill as his heavy groan filled the room._

* * *

The glow of the animated characters on the television screen and the sound of their squeaky voices filled the living room. Stephanie sat next to her daughter on the sofa. She was currently engrossed in her favourite movie and hadn't uttered a word for quite some time now. Stephanie smiled and absently stroked her soft golden strands. She was always like this whenever they played "her" movie as she referred to it. They had watched the damn thing so many times now that she was able to say the lines along with the characters. Even the sudden ringing of the telephone couldn't pry her eyes from the screen and she continued to watch on as Stephanie reached over her and lifted the phone.

"Hello?"

"Hi there. I was wondering if I could speak to a Mrs. Stephanie McMahon please?" said the voice over the phone but Stephanie knew exactly who it was and a gentle smile came across her face.

"I'm sorry sir. Stephanie McMahon doesn't live here. Stephanie Levesque on the other hand..." she trailed off, playing along with his little game.

"Right answer. I was just checking. Being married to a McMahon can give a guy an inferiority complex at times in case you didn't know." Her laughter brought a smile to his face and he sighed as he plopped down on the bed in his hotel room, his weary body finally able to rest. At least until morning anyway.

"I didn't know actually. I'll have to remember that the next time you're walking around here telling all of us how brilliant you are," she teased, twirling a strand of hair around her finger. She closed her eyes, letting the sound of his voice wash over her. She missed him so much. He had been gone for just over two weeks now on the recent European Tour and she was missing him badly, as was Aurora.

"Well I am that damn good baby!"

"Where's this inferiority complex we were talking about?"

"It comes and goes."

"Sure it does," she said, happy that he called. Even if she couldn't see him, just hearing his voice was enough for now. "I miss you," she whispered, unable to hold back her feelings any longer.

He sighed and rubbed at his face. He was missing her like crazy. And his daughter too. This was probably the longest they'd been apart from each other as Vince decided to lengthen the duration of the overseas tours to bring in more money. They both agreed that it wasn't fair to drag Aurora all over Europe at such a young age and therefore Paul went alone while his girl's stayed at home. "I miss you too," he said sincerely, meaning every word. He was desperate to get home and see them.

"At least you're coming home tomorrow. I couldn't take it if you were gone any longer than that."

"Me neither babe. I'm tired and I'm sore and in need of some serious TLC." He'd actually taken quite a stiff chair shot to the back and it had been killing him for a week now. Every time he took a bump on his back, which was quite a lot, he had been in agony. He really wasn't looking forward to the long, trans-Atlantic flight home. Only thing good about it was that it was taking him home.

"I think I could help you with that," she answered with a slight smile which was marred with her concern. "You are OK though? I mean you aren't hurt or anything like that?"

"I took a bad shot to the back the other night. It's starting to go away now so you don't need to worry," he half lied. It wasn't as bad as it had been the first few days even if it still did hurt like hell. No point in worrying her any more than he had to.

"Are you sure you're OK?" she asked again, a slight frown on her face. She didn't like him being injured period but she hated it even more when he was so far away and she couldn't see him or do anything about it. "I hate it that you're so far away from me and in pain."

"I'm fine babe, really. Besides I'll be home tomorrow and you can fuss over me all you want. In fact, your constant fussing over me when I'm hurt will be very welcome this time."

"Good. Constant fussing it is."

"Where's my little princess? What's she up to?" he asked, wondering what his daughter was up to. He hadn't heard her in the background or anything. Usually when he called, she would figure out who was on the phone and grab it off her mother and talk to him or beg and plead until she was given the phone.

"She's watching 'her' movie. That's probably why she hasn't asked about you. She hasn't taken her eyes off the TV ever since it came on," she explained.

"Oh. That's OK. My inferiority complex was coming back there."

"Thought your baby girl didn't want to talk to you, did you baby?" she asked with a cheeky grin on her face.

"Yes I did! Anyways, can I talk to her?

"I don't know if she'll want to, I mean, that would involve looking away from the TV screen," she said, knowing that it would wind him up.

"What! Of course she'll want to! I'm way more important than some stupid movie! Put her on the phone." He heard her laughter and made him laugh too. She lived to tease him. Same could be said for him though. His thoughts were interrupted by the excited squeal of his daughter.

"Daddy!"

"Hey there princess!"

"When are you coming home daddy? I miss you," she huffed, her bottom lip jutting out. Stephanie saw her expression and laughed. She looked exactly like her father when she did that face.

"I'm coming home tomorrow and I can't wait to see you." Just hearing her little voice brought a huge smile to his face. He missed his little girl.

"Did you buy me presents?" she asked innocently causing both her parents to laugh.

He chuckled down the phone as her answered her. "Of course I did."

"Yay!" she squealed excitedly, turning to her mother. "Mommy!" she called, "Daddy bought me presents!"

"You have to wait until tomorrow to find out what they are though."

"That's OK daddy. I just want you to come home," she said softly.

"Hey, listen. Daddy will be home tomorrow OK? Now, you go finish watching your movie and be good for mommy. I love you and I'll see you tomorrow alright?"

"OK daddy. I love you too. Night night!" She passed the phone back to Stephanie and cuddled into her side, turning her attention back to her movie.

"Told you she'd want to talk to me," he boasted.

"You keep talking about this inferiority complex but I'm just not getting it."

"I told you, it comes and goes! Anyway babe, I'm gonna let you go. You need to get her to sleep or you'll be up half the night watching movies."

"Tell me about it. Anyway, you take care of your back. I don't want you getting hurt even more than you already are."

"I'm fine Steph. Get some rest. I'll see you tomorrow at the pay- per-view OK? I love you."

"I love you too baby. See you tomorrow." She listened as he hung up the phone before doing the same and throwing her phone onto the sofa next to her. She couldn't wait until he got home tomorrow. One week was bad enough. Two was just unbearable and more than that was just downright wrong. Pulling Aurora close, she cuddled her daughter and thought about her husband who was thousands of miles away. He should have been there beside them. Sighing slightly, she decided to just relax and wait it out. In her mind, tomorrow couldn't come quick enough.


	15. Epilogue Part I

The halls of the arena were starting to fill with WWE superstars. The SmackDown roster had finished its tour yesterday and was already at the arena for the PPV. The Raw roster on the other hand, had an extra date and was therefore only getting home today, just in time for the PPV. Stephanie walked down the hall, looking at the various superstars who had just arrived, all of whom looked extremely tired. It was a tough three days that was for sure. First the added date in the UK, then the PPV right here in the States and finally the live RAW tomorrow night. She could only imagine how tired they were, especially one in particular, her very own husband who had yet to make an appearance. She spotted Shawn and was surprised to see that his partner in crime was nowhere to be seen.

"Hey Shawn," she called, walking over to join him beside the mini HQ point. He lifted his head from the desk and smiled immediately upon seeing her.

"Hey Steph. I was just finding out what room I'm in tonight. How's it going?" he asked, grabbing the handle of his case and heading in the direction of the main hall.

Stephanie fell into step beside him. "I'm good Shawn. I was just wondering if you've seen that husband of mine anywhere. I thought that you guys were travelling together," she questioned.

"We were. But as soon as we got off the bus, he disappeared on me. I have no idea where the hell he is. But when you see him, tell him I want my damn blanket back!" he called with a wave, walking around the corner in search of his room.

Stephanie just shook her head and laughed. His blanket? She didn't even want to know. The things those two got into went beyond her sometimes. She had another quick look around the hallway before making her way back to her locker room. Wherever he was, he had some explaining to do when he showed up. As she walked back down the narrow hall, she heard the sound of her daughter's laughter coming from inside her room and quickly opened the door. Expecting to find her husband inside, her face dropped slightly when she found that her father had joined her mother in the room instead.

"Ah, Stephanie!" he started, and then stopped when he saw the slight look of disappointment on her face. "You don't seem very happy to see me," he frowned, putting Aurora back on the ground and sitting on the couch next to his wife.

Stephanie chuckled and moved further into the room, sitting down on the loveseat and smiling at Aurora who climbed into her lap. "I'm sorry dad, I just...I was expecting Paul and well, you're not him."

"Well I'm sorry to disappoint you Steph. But where is Paul? His bus arrived here around twenty minutes ago, right?" Vince asked curiously.

"Yes. That's why I thought you were him. But I was talking to Shawn and he said that he disappeared when he got off the bus. Where the hell is he?" She sighed in frustration.

"Where's daddy, mommy? Can't you find him?" Aurora asked, glancing at her mother, her face scrunched into a little worried frown.

Stephanie looked down at her and smiled softly, reaching up to stroke her soft hair. "Don't worry sweetie. He's probably just talking to somebody and will be here soon. OK?"

Satisfied with the look on her mother's face, Aurora nodded her head and replied, "OK."

"Good, now..." Stephanie trailed off when she felt a faint vibration on her hip. Reaching for her cell phone, she pulled it off the hook on her belt loop and saw that she had a new message from her missing husband.

"_Go to the locker room closest to the parking garage. Keep it quiet."_

She screwed up her face as she read the message. What the hell was he playing at? He just expected her to get up and go because he said so, even though he couldn't be bothered to show up himself.

"Who was that?" interrupted Linda.

"Oh, one of those stupid network messages you know," she said distractedly while she thought of what to do. Making up her mind, she shifted Aurora off her lap and stood. "Mommy's got to go for a few minutes OK? But I'll be back soon," she said to her daughter and kissed her head as she nodded. "Mom, do you mind watching her for another ten minutes or so?" she spoke to her mother.

"Yes that's fine. Where are you going though?"

"I just remembered that I...have to do...something," she stuttered, not quite sure of what to give as her reason for leaving when she'd only just come back.

"Anything I need to be a part of?" asked Vince as he stood and looked at her.

"No, that's fine Dad. I can do it on my own. Why don't you stay here and relax for a while before the show?" she said in her most persuasive tone. The last thing she needed was her dad following her around when Paul wanted her to be discreet. What for? She didn't know. But she was sure as hell going to find out. Breathing a sigh of relief when he sat back down again and called Aurora to him, she gave a little wave before leaving the room.

Once outside, she got her bearings and remembered where the parking lot was. She headed in that direction and realised that she was getting further and further away from the rest of the arena. She walked along a lowly lit corridor which led to the garage and spotted a door at the end. With an annoyed frown on her face, she walked up to the door and had a quick look up and down the hall one more time. There wasn't a soul in sight. Just as she was about to knock, the door opened and she was quickly pulled inside. She wasn't even given a chance to speak before his lips came crashing down on hers, kissing her passionately. His tongue almost immediately stole into her mouth and he pressed her up against the wall. She shivered as the cold seeped through the material of her thin blouse and shivered again from the feel of her husband's lips quickly moving down her neck, to her throat, to the space between the open neck of her blouse. His hands were everywhere, roaming all over her body and her anger at his disappearing act quickly left her system. She brought her hands to his face and raised his head to her level. Looking into his dark eyes, she saw nothing but naked lust written all over his face and it sent a shiver throughout her entire body. Without a second thought, she pulled his lips to hers, kissing him hard, their tongues duelling together as they tried to taste every inch of the others mouths. Paul groaned, the feel of his wife in his arms almost too much to bear after being away from her for so long. He felt her hands working their way down his chest, undoing each button of his shirt, finally reaching the waistband of his pants. She quickly moved on to his belt, pulling the black leather from the snap and opening the button. The sound of his zipper being undone filled the otherwise silent room and he groaned out loud when she gently fondled him through his briefs. Unable to wait any longer and feeling his body just about ready to burst, his hands moved up her silky thighs to her bottom which he squeezed before tugging her lace thong down. Stephanie hurriedly unfastened the buttons to her blouse and pressed her chest into his, needing to feel his skin. They both sighed at the contact of skin on skin and he moved his lips to kiss and nip at her breasts through her bra. As Paul brought his hands back up her legs, he debated whether or not to continue their foreplay. He was slowly but surely losing his mind and didn't think he'd last much longer. She felt like pure heaven right now and he didn't ever want to be away from her again.

"Paul," Stephanie panted, her head thrown back against the wall and her eyes shut tight. Paul looked up from between her breasts and almost exploded right there. God how he had missed her. Especially now when she looked sexy beyond belief. Roughly grabbing her hips, he hoisted her up and slammed her against the wall. Realising what he wanted and feeling just as desperate as her husband, Stephanie reached for his boxer briefs and pushed both them and his pants down his firm legs. Without warning, he quickly lined himself up and thrust inside her with one long, deep stroke. Her heavy sigh mixed with his own as he pulled out and thrust in again, repeating the motion as they quickly fell into a fast paced rhythm. Stephanie held on to the open collar of his shirt as he buried his face into her neck, slamming his hips into hers. He felt incredible, even better than she had dreamed over the past two weeks. It became too much for her and she called his name loudly, desperately grinding her body into his, needing to feel him deeper inside her.

"Jesus Steph," Paul grunted into her neck, feeling his stomach tighten with every thrust. He could feel her walls contracting around him and it drove him crazy. He craved release as he continued to slam into her. Their heavy breaths and the sound of their bodies slapping together filled the locker room as they neared their climax. Paul felt her body shudder and knew she was close. Using every ounce of energy in his body, he drove into her hard and fast, slamming her back into the wall. Stephanie practically let out a wail as she reached her release, her arms and legs wrapped tight around his body, hugging him close as he too reached his climax. He exploded into her, their faces pressed together, their lips barely touching. He slumped against her and rested his forehead on hers. Stephanie untangled her legs from around his waist and put them back on the floor but kept her arms wrapped around him. She pulled him close and kept him in a tight hug, letting the pleasure wash over her tired body. She tilted her head to the side as he nuzzled her neck, his hands dropping to palm her waist. They stood like that, wrapped up in the moment, both too tired to move.

Finally Paul kissed her softly on the lips and moved to pull his pants and underwear back up. "I missed you so much. I swear I'm never going on another tour that long again. I can't stand being away from you and Aurora for so long," he said whilst re-doing his belt buckle.

When he looked back up at her, he saw that she still had her eyes closed. "Steph? He received a thump on the arm as his answer.

"What the hell was that for?"

"That," she said, finally opening her eyes and frowning at him," was for the little disappearing act you pulled on me.

"But..." he was cut off by her lips crashing down on his. She slipped her tongue into his mouth and barely touched his before pulling back and smiling slyly.

"And that was for the reason behind your little disappearing act. Very creative I must say," she grinned, licking her lips and smiling when she could still taste him there.

"I couldn't have waited any longer than that. I was just about ready to burst."

"That's fine. I won't complain," she smirked, fixing her skirt back around her waist. "But I will complain because you seem to have ripped my panties babe." She looked at him with amusement, the torn thong hanging from her finger.

"Mmmmmm, I love it when you go commando," he grinned, moving in for another kiss which she happily gave to him.

"So are you ready to come out of hiding then? I know a certain little girl that is very excited to see her dad," she said as they broke apart.

A huge smile spread across his face as he thought about his daughter. "Of course I am! Let's go." He grabbed her hand and they started the walk back towards the more populated part of the arena. Before they even reached the end of the corridor, Stephanie stopped short as a sudden realisation hit her.

"What," asked Paul, glancing at her curiously.

"I didn't make up an excuse to tell my parents where I went," she replied, a look of worry on her face.

He laughed at her worried expression. "What are you, five?" he joked.

"Very funny. You know what they're like."

"Don't worry about it. Just tell them you had to meet with somebody and then you bumped into me."

"And I was gone all this time?"

"Sure you were. You see, I had bag trouble and we had to hang around until they found my bag," he smirked, very happy with his little theory.

"You had this all figured out right?"

"No actually. Everything's just kind of fallen into place. Come on; let's go see our little princess. I'm sure she's dying to get her presents."


	16. Epilogue Part II

The wind howled as the winter weather let its presence be known to anyone who dared to venture outside. The rain pelted down from the dark sky and Stephanie watched the gloomy scene from the huge bay window of the kitchen. Aurora's play swing swayed back and forth violently, letting out a clanking sound as the metal chains hit the steel upright. She tore her attention away from the window and pulled the plates and cutlery from the cupboards and placed them on the table. Aurora's high chair was already in place and she set her little "sippy cup" as she liked to call it on the white tray while she finished preparing the food. They would be here any minute now although the weather was probably slowing them down. Although her husband had lead in his foot when it came to driving, he would never put himself or their daughter in harm's way by speeding on an awful night such as this one. She quickly put that thought out of her mind and busied herself by opening the non-alcoholic champagne she had bought especially for tonight. She smiled to herself, thinking he probably wouldn't even notice she was drinking the non-alcoholic stuff and that it could only work in her favour because he wouldn't be suspicious as to the reason why. Just as she popped the cork and began to fill her glass, she heard the faint crunch of tyres on gravel followed by the humming sound of the garage doors opening. They were home at last. A few seconds later and the front door opened, letting a large gust of cold air into the previously warm foyer of their house.

"Stephhh? Are ou ere?"

She heard his muffled voice and immediately made her way to the front of the house. She spotted him balancing Aurora in one hand, and his gym bag in the other. Mr. Bear was dangling from his mouth and was obviously the reason why he couldn't speak properly. She shook her head at him and took Aurora into her arms.

"You could have made multiple runs out to the garage you know," she commented as he closed the door and took the stuffed bear from his mouth.

"Yeah well, you know me, I like to be awkward," he spoke properly, the bear now in his hand. He heard a faint murmur from his daughter and looked up to find her arms reaching out for her teddy over her mother's back. He smirked and after dumping his bag next to the door, walked over and put it in her hand. He chuckled when she grabbed it and squashed the fluffy bear between her chest and Stephanie's. Within seconds she was sleeping again.

Stephanie silently made her way up the winding staircase and towards Aurora's room with Paul following close behind. She watched as he pulled the covers back and motioned for her to put Aurora in. "Pyjamas babe," she whispered. Paul nodded and lifted a pink pair of pyjama bottoms and a white top from the drawer while Stephanie busied herself with getting Aurora's clothes off without waking her up. As she was gently tugging on her shoes, she glanced at her husband who was working on her t-shirt.

"Did she eat something?" she asked in a hushed voice, finally making progress with the shoes and moving on to her jeans.

"Yeah, she had something before we got on the plane and then ate the plane dinner too. I think she's turning into me," he joked, his voice soft as he tried not to wake his sleeping daughter.

"Until she starts to eat us out of the house I think we're safe," Stephanie replied and choked back a laugh at the look of mock indignation on his face.

"You know, I would defend myself but it's the truth so what's the point?" He gently pulled the fresh cotton pyjama top down over Aurora's head and laughed out loud when she lifted her hand to swat him away.

"Paul!" Stephanie scolded, throwing him a death glare as he held his hand over his mouth trying hard not to laugh again.

"If you wake her then you're not getting your surprise," she warned as she pulled the pyjama bottoms up her small legs before finally tucking her into bed, setting Mr. Bear in the space next to her. She gave her a quick kiss on the head before grabbing her husband's hand and yanking him out of the room. She entwined their fingers and led him back down the stairs and into the dining room.

"What's all this?" Paul asked surprised as he looked around the room. The lights were dimmed and soft music was playing in the background. The table was set for three although they'd be getting rid of one now since Aurora was sleeping. Several pots and pans were simmering away on the cooker and they smelled delicious.

"I wanted us to have a nice family meal together but this is even better, now it's just the two of us," she smiled, releasing his hand and moving back to the stove to check on the Bolognese sauce.

"Are you hungry," she called over her shoulder and jumped slightly when she felt his arms wrap around her waist. He nuzzled into her neck and placed little kisses up and down the column of her throat while his hands palmed her waist. She relaxed back into him and tilted her head, feeling his stubbly cheek rub against her soft skin.

"Mmmm, hmmm, I'm starving," he murmured against her ear before moving back to her neck, "and the food smells great too."

Stephanie smiled widely and scooped some sauce onto her spoon before turning slightly and lifting it up to his face. He looked at the spoon, then at her and then back at the spoon with that cheeky smirk of his. He moved forward and took the spoon into his mouth, his eyes lighting up at the wonderful taste.

"I have to say babe, I'm impressed. But I don't know......something just doesn't.......wait, I have it...." he reached over and dipped his finger into the sauce and dabbed it onto her lips. Before she could even ask what he was doing, he quickly pulled her flush against his body and kissed the sauce away, letting his tongue steal into her mouth. She moaned as they broke apart and couldn't help but laugh at the Cheshire cat grin on his face. He gave her another quick peck on the lips, "Much better," he proclaimed and moved to kiss her again but was stopped when she placed her hands on his chest and pushed him back.

"As much as I enjoy your unique food tasting methods, I think we need to stop this or we'll never eat," she reached up to play with the soft strands of his hair.

"Fair enough. But we're returning to this later whether you like it or not lady," he said playfully before walking to the table and sitting down. "Well? Are you just gonna stand there all day or are we gonna eat?"

"All right, all right, we're eating, we're eating!" she replied lifting the pots onto the table and sitting down to join her husband for dinner. She would wait until later to tell her news. She kept it a secret for this long, another thirty minutes or so wasn't going to kill her.

* * *

After dinner, they made their way into the cosy den. Stephanie sighed as she plopped down on the massive couch and sank into the soft cushions. Paul sat down next to her and immediately leaned over in search of her lips. She smiled into his kiss and wrapped her arms around his neck, feeling a slight flutter run through her body. His hands came around her waist and pulled her up to straddle his lap and he began to kiss her more deeply, his tongue demanding entrance to her mouth. Stephanie lost herself in his passionate kiss for a few moments before reeling herself back in. She knew if she didn't tell him now then she'd never get round to it with the pace he was setting. Bringing her hands to his face, she gently pushed him away.

"What's wrong," he asked, confused that she put a stop to their little make out session.

Stephanie laughed at his pout and playfully tugged his bottom lip. "Nothing's wrong. It's just that.....well.....I've got something to tell you," she said, bringing her arms back to his neck.

"Do you really have to tell me now? I mean, we're kinda in the middle of something here," he joked but relaxed back into the sofa, his arms wrapped loosely around her waist.

"Yes I really have to tell you now."

"Well what it is?" he laughed, curious as to why she called an end to their fun.

"I'm pregnant."

Paul mouth dropped in shock before quickly turning into a huge smile. He sat forward and pulled her into a hug, his arms wrapped tightly around her.

"This is great. This is so great," he said as they broke apart, his smile still in place.

Stephanie had a smile of her own, happy that he had reacted the way he did. They weren't planning on having another baby at the minute and she was worried that he didn't want to right now but that fear was quickly washed away the minute she saw the genuine smile on his face. He was happy, ecstatic actually from the looks of it and she felt exactly the same. There would be another addition to the Levesque household.

"I know. I can't wait to meet our new baby. Maybe we'll get a boy this time." She moved her face closer to his, ready to get back to their previous activities.

"I really don't care. If they turn out anything like our first one then I'm a happy man," he grinned before growing serious. "I love you," he whispered softly and kissed her firmly on the lips. He couldn't believe they were going to have another baby. Somewhere in his mind, he just couldn't fathom how he came to be so lucky. His life was simply perfect. He was living his dream, had married the girl of his dreams and was blessed with a beautiful daughter with a new addition to the family on the way. As they sank back into the soft cushions of the sofa and he felt his wife's lips on his neck, he sighed happily. _"My life is perfect,"_ he said to himself. _"Simply perfect."_


End file.
